City traffic wardens threatened

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Traffic attendants have been withdrawn from parts of west Belfast following threats, operator NCP has said.

Tim Cowen, an NCP spokesman, said the move was a temporary one and that the safety of staff was paramount.

In one case a large piece of metal was thrown at an attendant in the lower Falls area. One was also threatened on the Shankill Road.

"We will not accept our staff being assaulted," Mr Cowen told Radio Ulster's Nolan Show.

He said that they would discuss the incidents with the police, community leaders and residents.

The news follows an attack on a traffic attendant who was head-butted in Londonderry last week.

On Monday, SDLP councillor Tim Attwood said people in the west Belfast area wanted traffic to be able to flow and condemned the threats.

"I think the majority of people in west Belfast would be appalled at any traffic attendant being assaulted," he said.

As a community we have to react to traffic attendants in a different way and realise they have a job to do for the whole community Paddy Mackel

Paddy Mackel, from the union Nipsa, which represents the traffic attendants, said that people in the community had to speak out in favour of traffic attendants and the role they perform.

He said that traffic wardens "were not fair go" and should be supported.

"As a community we have to react to traffic attendants in a different way and realise they have a job to do for the whole community," he said.

West Belfast Sinn Fein councillor Paul Maskey condemned the threats.

"The new traffic attendants are low paid workers attempting to provide a public service for the community," he said.

"They should not be subject to threats, intimidation or attack in the course of their work."

Mr Cowen said that while there was no effective enforcement in the area as a result of the situation there would be increased traffic congestion.

"Our main concern is to make sure that the staff wherever we operate are safe," he said.

He said while the threats and assault last week were of great concern to NCP, in general there was not the level of aggression displayed towards attendants in Northern Ireland than in some inner city areas of England.