Additional car parking will be created in Ramsey in time for Christmas as work continues towards improving the town’s retail offering. The Department of Infrastructure is proposing to introduce diagonal parking on the harbour side of West Quay from next week in order to provide 15 more on-street spaces for public use. This will complement the large area designated for vehicles at the old Albert Road School site, where an application for a further 31 spaces has recently been approved, and the car park at Shoprite which is now back to full capacity after remedial work. Chief Minister Allan Bell MHK, who is Chairman of the Ramsey Regeneration Committee, said: ‘The provision of convenient town centre car parking is a key issue for Ramsey and I welcome the creation of additional public spaces on West Quay. This is a particularly timely boost for the town as retailers gear up for the busy festive period. Ramsey has always been a popular destination for Christmas shoppers and the availability of more parking close to the main retail areas will only add to its appeal. He added: ‘This project is a small but important part of the overall plans to regenerate Ramsey and support local economic growth by attracting more shoppers to the town centre.’ West Quay offers direct access to Parliament Street through the three lanes recently upgraded thanks to funding from Isle of Man Town and Village Regeneration Scheme. The Scheme, a partnership between Government, local authorities and private enterprise, provided a grant to transform Old Post Office Lane, Courier Lane and Collins Lane into bright, attractive walkways. In order to take advantage of the improved pedestrian links between the town centre and quayside, efforts have been made to boost existing parking provision. The introduction of diagonal parking will create an additional 15 spaces on West Quay, taking the total number available to 115, including spaces for disabled users which will be allocated on the landward side. The plans will also allow for the continued use of West Quay for commercial and harbour traffic. The Department of Infrastructure has carried out a consultation on its proposals with the occupiers of properties adjacent to West Quay and some minor adjustments have been made. The scheme will be completed during the first week of December subject to favourable weather conditions. Ends