Traffic wardens look set to be removed from a number of towns and villages across county Armagh.
Tandragee and Richill have been earmarked to lose wardens as a review of parking enforcement is being undertaken across Northern Ireland.
The review will consider effectiveness of deployment and the number of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued. It will also consider the number of Vehicle Drive Aways (VDAs) recorded.
Gilford is also set to lose routine traffic attendants.
Infrastructure Minister Chris Hazzard said: “My priority as Minister is to ensure the free flow of traffic in towns and cities across the north.
“In order to maximise effectiveness and efficiency, traffic attendants are deployed to those places where they will have the most impact upon road safety and traffic progression.
“Any town that was routinely enforced and generated less than 10 PCNs/VDAs on average per month, will be removed from the schedule for routine traffic attendant deployment.
“The review has been completed in Transport NI’s Southern Division and a number of towns have been removed from scheduled enforcement.
“The Department will continue to visit all towns, including those removed from regular deployment, when need arises or when requested and resources are available.”
He added: “Following representations to my Department to commence scheduled parking enforcement in Coalisland, a trial was established to ascertain if scheduled routine enforcement is necessary.
“During the trial which ran from August to December 2016, two warning notices were issued. This trial has now ended and on the basis of efficient and effective use of resources, Coalisland will not have routine scheduled enforcement.”
However, motorists in Newry will see parking costs rise from 40p to 60p per hour.
Parking charges in parts of Belfast, Newry and Lisburn city centres are set to rise next month.
Mr Hazzard said fees had “not kept pace with inflation” in recent years.
However, Glyn Roberts, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA) hit out at the changes.
“Rather than increasing parking charges, the minister should be reducing them to encourage more people to come into the three city centres,” Mr Roberts said.
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