Seapark beach: Double yellow lines to be installed at parking spot

BBC News

13-07-2025

Double yellow lines are set to be installed at a popular beachfront hotspot in an effort to stop drivers from abandoning their cars in residential areas.Seapark beach in Holywood, County Down, attracts beachgoers hoping to enjoy the warmer weather – but local residents have complained of traffic chaos.There is a car park but it can overflow during the busier days with drivers parking along the narrow Seapark Road, Seapark Lane and Seapark Mews.In a letter from Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins, it was outlined the double yellow lines would be painted in "the coming weeks subject to available resources".
"As a result of this, these double yellow lines should help reduce parking allowing for better traffic progression entering and leaving the A2 resulting in reduced queuing onto the A2," she said in her letter to North Down assembly and Environment Minister Andrew Muir.Kimmins added that Department for Infrastructure officials would monitor the situation after the lines are installed to "determine whether further restrictions are appropriate".
'Main road is quite tight'
As Northern Ireland basks in glorious sunshine, there was a mixed reaction to the news of the incoming double yellow lines from those enjoying the weather at Seapark beach.Shannon Grimley, from west Belfast, was on her first visit to the beach and said she was lucky getting parked in the car park as another vehicle had pulled out of a space."I could see the main road though was covered in cars and it is quite tight," she said.Shannon also expressed sympathy for residents over the parking situation, saying: "I know if I was living there, it would be a pain."
John Compston was enjoying the sunny weather with his granddaughter Atlanta Savage.John said he could understand locals being "fed up" with the situation."But you would think there would be another way of putting more car parking spaces in somewhere along the way," he added.When asked about their parking experience, Atlanta said: "It's kind of the same as it is at Helen's Bay... at the end of the day, you pay road tax and it's people coming to enjoy the beach."Double yellows are only really necessary if you're offloading."
'Significant measures needed'
Alliance councillor Gillian McCollum welcomed the upcoming installation of the double yellow lines but believes "significant infrastructure measures" are needed within Seapark to accommodate the traffic.Her main concern was emergency vehicle access on extremely busy days."It creates a gridlock situation when the road is reduced to a single lane and cars then become backed up right up on to the A2 and that creates a situation where emergency vehicles would have no hope of accessing the area," she explained.McCollum added that she would like to see more beachgoers using public transport."We would like people to be mindful that this is a highly residential area and these residents have been literally plagued with this problem for several years and we would like people to be considerate," she said.
'Not a silver bullet'
Councillor Alan Graham, from the Democratic Unionist Party, said he understood the frustrations of those opposing the double yellow lines."I can imagine a mother and father with children and the hustle and bustle of getting them out of the car, getting the packs on them and not being able to get parked - it's very frustrating," he said.Graham added that the double yellow lines were not a silver bullet to the traffic bedlam."There's a tension between increasing car parking space and taking up green grass," he said. "I believe there is a balance."I would be reasonably sympathetic to extending the car park to accommodate more people."