Friends 0f the Manx Diabetes Centre

However Mr Hannay with all due respect has dealt with Regent Street which was not the subject of our article as the picture that appeared in our article was not of Regent Street .

As it was the department that had changed the parking times, they should have known where it was, nonetheless neither the Ex Minister nor Mr Hannay appear to know where the parking time changes had taken place.

Mr Hannay is basically going over the old ground of his Ex Minister's answer in the House on 3 rd May last to Mr John Houghton.

Mr Houghton's question was “Has your department recently imposed restrictions on the time a disabled driver may park on disabled spaces if so: -

(a) What is the maximum parking time: and

(b) Why has such a restriction been imposed.

Notice no mention of Regent Street in the original question.

In fact it was not until the now Ex Minister had finished his explanation in answer to the question with an emphasis as to how and in what circumstances a disabled person can park, (which was not the question under reply as the answer to the first part of the question should have been a simple “YES” (a) “ down from 2 hours to 30 minutes” and (b) “because of the down grading of the whole street from 2 hours to 30 minutes”), that Regent Street was mentioned.

This was not done by the Ex Minister, it was Mr Houghton who introduced Regent Street into the equation in his first supplementary.

However the Ex Minister did say “my Department is not aware of any recent or general changes that have been made regarding permitted parking times”.

So who changed them?

Under whose orders and responsibility were they changed?

Were they changed in accordance with, as the Director of Highways puts it, “the Law?” and if so, why did the department not know where they had effected the changes?

Did they appear by themselves?

Or are all disabled people now parking there under a complete and utter illusion as to what was, and now is?

Since the Transport Department is not aware of this glorious event, The Diabetic respectfully invites the Ex- Minister and the Director of Highways to visit Victoria Street where two parking bays appear to have come down from 2 Hours to 30 minutes, without “Public Notice”.

However Mr Shimmin explained “that this”, (the 30 minutes), “was the first time that the matter has been raised” and that he had asked “his officers to have a look and see if it is still appropriate”

The question of the “poles” was again introduced by Mr Houghton in his second supplementary.

So the Department may not have known about the “poles” but the Ex Minister on 3 rd May in the House knew, following Mr Houghton's second supplementary, when the Ex Minister answered, “Guidance regarding placing of these signs will be given to the works division and remedial action will be taken as soon as possible” “and if other areas are brought to our attention we will look to do the same sir”. So who in the “works division” did the Ex Minister speak to and instruct to sort this out?

At this juncture it must be pointed out that over a year ago at Mr Shimmin's office at a meeting there, the Chairman of the Friends of the Manx Diabetes Centre brought up the question of these “Poles” ALL OVER THE ISLAND, not just in Regent Street .