A Douglas councillor has asked for a review into traffic management around Noble’s Park.

Ian Clague feels management of parking and traffic in the area has been ‘really bad’, particularly during the TT period.

At a Douglas Council meeting recently, he asked for a review into the matter.

He told the Isle of Man Courier: ‘There are problems all year round with it but in TT it’s really bad.

‘It was pretty bad this year particularly.

‘I was also concerned, and I can’t speak for the emergency services, that though people were getting into the car park for the races, there were cars also being parked in the streets in the surrounding area which was horrendous.

‘It gets so congested.

‘I don’t think it can carry on, it needs to be looked at.’

It follows the councillor first bringing up concerns on traffic management and parking in the area in 2019.

Douglas Council introduced a pay and display car park at the TT paddock in 2021 in an effort to alleviate the problem.

It can be used outside of motosport events and aims to eliminate the parking of vehicles in the area of Noble’s Park, while also trying to reduce traffic movements in areas of the park with lots of pedestrians.

Mr Clague lives in the area and has experienced these issues first-hand.

‘There was one time for me this year when I couldn’t get my car out of my drive because cars were parked opposite,’ he said. ‘But aside from my own personal experience, I’ve spoken to loads of people who have told me what a poor time they’ve had of it.

‘I think we really just want something to be recognised about it.’

The councillor explained why it is particularly disruptive during the TT fortnight, saying: ‘They’ve been sending traffic up by the church which is very upsetting and inconvenient for everybody because you have the entertainment in the park that goes on until late at night.

‘I realise it’s an international motorcycling event but it’s in the middle of an urban area and I can’t seem to get people to get their heads around that.

‘No one is saying in any shape or form that the TT shouldn’t go ahead but there’s got to be other solutions. If you go to somewhere like Silverstone, you don’t park onsite, you park well away.

‘People will say it’s only two weeks a year but if there’s a way of mitigating this, we should – there must be a way.’

The agreement that Douglas Council holds with the government regarding parking at Noble’s Park is up for renewal for next year.

Mr Clague’s comments were taken on board and will be included in negotiations.

‘I’m rather hoping we rather get a much more open and fluid response from the government,’ added Mr Clague. ‘We obviously don’t want to put the TT in jeopardy or anything but we just want change.

‘We realise there’s got to be some discomfort during TT, we accept that but we can at least try and alleviate it a little bit.’