After the Manx Independent reported last week the large amount of parking warrants that are currently uncollected, we asked the public in Douglas what they think of parking in the city.

Jenny McCauley and Sylvia Robbins from Onchan told us of their parking habits in Douglas.

Jenny, originally from Dublin, said: ‘Chester Street really is the only place.

‘I sometimes drive and park somewhere on the prom if it’s a nice day and walk in.’

Sylvia said: ‘It’s pointless really because you’ve only got two hours normally so it’s easier on the bus and I can be as long or as short as I like.

‘It’s not unique to here, it’s everywhere you go.’

The Examiner also asked them if they knew about the extent of the problem with parking tickets, with 8,970 outstanding warrants for fixed penalty notices.

Jenny said: ‘I’m very surprised, I really didn’t think there would be that many.’

Sylvia suggested: ‘If you parked and you wanted to spend three to four hours in Douglas and you were well-off, £60 is nothing, it is [a substantial amount] to the average person.’

Simon Brown from Onchan, the owner of the Creative Shop on Strand Street was very passionate about the topic.

He said: ‘I would say parking is the biggest issue facing us in retail, bigger than the pandemic was, bigger than anything else.

‘Just by the amount of customers that say everyday, “I can’t be bothered coming down town – can you deliver this?”

‘You can’t park here or can’t get anywhere close.

‘The government and the council both think they have to be a business and they have to make money and they don’t. They have to just provide an infrastructure and platform.

‘I find it crippling that we don’t have enough parking in Douglas.

‘My son wanted to come down and get his injection the other day, there was nowhere to park so he didn’t bother.’

Nigel Mousley, from Port Erin, said: ‘There seems to be fewer parking spaces in Douglas now.’

‘I don’t think making it free would make a huge difference.

‘It’s the difficulty of finding anywhere to park, not the cost of it.’

The Examiner asked Nigel if the parking discourages him from driving to Douglas.

He said: ‘Yes it does, but I often come in on the bus because I have a free pass.’

Colin Ring, from Onchan, talked to us about how he thinks that there isn’t a parking issue in Douglas.

He said: ‘I’m one of the ones that believe that there’s not that much of a parking problem.

‘You may have to go round a couple of times but I’ve never been round more than twice to get a parking space.

‘I think people come into town and expect to find a parking space straight away.’

Colin had some solutions to the parking tickets issue.

He said: ‘I think they should serve warrants on them.

‘I know that around Christmas they usually go around with the warrants and they pay a lot quicker.

‘I don’t think they should be let off with it. If it means going around after them I think they should.’

Colin was surprised at the figure of at least £810,000 in uncollected warrants and fines.

He said: ‘It’s pointless sticking to tickets of you’re not going to follow them up.’