Rise in Hove car park charges slammed

3:50pm Thursday 24th January 2013 in News

Plans to increase parking charges at a “little-used” high-rise car park have been slammed as “foolish and counter-productive”.

Local Conservatives have criticised proposals by Brighton and Hove City Council to increase the cost of parking at Norton Road car park in Hove by up to a third.

Councillor Andrew Wealls and local election candidate Adam Love said the council had ignored the wishes of hundreds of residents who signed a petition to make the site free at weekends to boost shopping trade.

The council has dismissed the idea of free parking saying that it would not boost trade and would cost the council £60,000 in lost revenue.

Proposals discussed at last week’s transport committee would see the cost of two hours’ parking at the Hove site jump from £1.50 to £2 while five hours’ parking could cost £4.50 for 2013/14.

Mr Love and Coun Wealls, who are running the Free Parking at Norton Road Car Park campaign, critisised the plan as “foolish, greedy and counter-productive”.

Coun Wealls said: “This move shows the Green administration is completely out of touch with the concerns of residents and local business.

“The plan is a slap in the face to the hundreds who signed our petition and supported our calls for free parking.”

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Comments(15)

spa301 says...
4:08pm Thu 24 Jan 13

Assuming the report is accurate;

What logic dictates that if a car park is underused, putting up prices will somehow remedy the situation? It seems doubtful motorists avoid it as it's too cheap!
It really does test a voters confidence in the Green mindset.

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BrunswickSquare says...
4:14pm Thu 24 Jan 13

What bit of "times are hard" don't the Council understand? If it costs more to shop in the centre of Hove (hardly a major centre) people who drive to the shops will look outwards rather than inwards.

That's a benefit for Asda in Hollingbury or Tesco in Holmbush but hardly good for the parts of town we actually live in.

If I was cynical, I'd say this was done because the Administration hate everything proposed by the Conservatives. Nothing to do with the local area and everything to do with their dogmatic mindsets.

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Fight_Back says...
4:29pm Thu 24 Jan 13

So let me get this right - the Greens increase parking charges across the city and suddenly get a £200k blackhole in the budget. Now they're going to increase the charges in Norton Road - have they learnt nothing or are they really that stupid ?

It's noticeable that the Greens don't reply to emails nor do they comment on here - too scared or embarrassed to comment I guess. Well I voted Green last election and unless a Green councillor comments on THIS story I'll switching my vote as quite clearly they don't want to comment !

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clubrob6 says...
4:34pm Thu 24 Jan 13

This car park is always empty,its not exactly convenient for loads of the shops.If they reduced the price or made it free it would attract office workers etc freeing up space elsewhere which is more convenient for shopper THUS INCREASING TRADE.

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Crystal Ball says...
4:40pm Thu 24 Jan 13

Norton Road car park is not "little-used" at all and during the day it can be hard to find a space at times.

The very fact it is across the road from Hove Town Hall means numerous Council employees park there. Whether they receive concessions I do not know.

Are BHHC really this blind? Oh...

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NickBtn says...
4:49pm Thu 24 Jan 13

I used to shop in Hove when there was free parking for a few hours. That's gone - so have I. Haven't been shopping there for years now....

Putting up prices for a little used car park. It would be hoped that the council would learn from recent parking price charge increases that have now, mercifully, been mainly reversed. It seems that they're doomed to make the same mistake again. I suspect people who voted green last time won't make the same mistake twice. Especially those sitting in the year of queues to "improve" Lewes Road.....

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bug eye says...
5:18pm Thu 24 Jan 13

expect the free tesco car park to get busier, the council cannot control this. With plans for 4 betting shops in George st. as well its bye bye Hove shoppers, just as the shops were starting to improve. The Greens are clearly going against the national concensus, so bye bye Greens too.

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mimseycal says...
5:42pm Thu 24 Jan 13

The only way you will get me into Brighton or Hove now is kicking and screaming.
It is a shame as I have definitely been discouraged from shopping locally except for the small little top up bits. Way to go Greens ...

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Eugenius says...
8:51pm Thu 24 Jan 13

Increase of 25p per hour? What a catastrophe.

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Dave At Home says...
9:16pm Thu 24 Jan 13

I thought at one of their 'secret' meetings it was discussed if the car park is under used they would turn it into offices and make more in rent for it. I have learnt to see through the smoke screens with this council. Check the road layout at Shelldale Road and Trafalgar Road in Portslade to see who the benefits? It's not the pedestrian or the motorist as they have you believe, clever people these council chappies.

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nocando says...
9:42pm Thu 24 Jan 13

Take up motorcycling folks. Parking is FREE everywhere you'd care to leave it. Pssst, don't tell the greens, they'll f*** it up for everyone sooner or later.

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Pebbles says...
11:00pm Thu 24 Jan 13

It is absolutely and blatantly clear that the greens (with a small 'g') have no sympathy for the local traders.

20mph blanket speed limit and a higher cost to park!

They hate the motorist and will take every oportunity to make life for the motorist as difficult as possible.

Roll on the local elections....

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upsidedowntuctuc says...
3:49am Fri 25 Jan 13

Eugenius wrote:
Increase of 25p per hour? What a catastrophe.
Yes and every car it discourages will be not just 25p lost it'll be far more each and every day they boycott Hove. 200k shortfall when spending 1.5 million for a 20MPH limit that is unenforceable in places it is not needed.
Everything they do is anti car be it Lewes Road or 25MPH or 'Old Town'
The latest will be Victoria Gardens (Old Steine) one lane all round so the great unwashed can burn juggling sticks and camp out for another protest regarding human rights somewhere.
Another two and half years while these ideological Bricyles destroy the City..

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salty_pete says...
7:50am Fri 25 Jan 13

Crystall Ball is right. This car park is predominantly used by council staff during the week, and this proposed increase will directly effect them. Not exactly the best way to motivate the staff and certainly not a good idea to encourage more footfall for the businesses in Hove.

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Fairfax Sakes says...
9:38am Fri 25 Jan 13

Good, and about time too. I have a place in Hove and work (and mostly live) in London, fine with me if we can get rid of a bit more of the rabble. Demand reflects supply and there is no exactly an oversupply of parking in brighton from what i can see!
Now time to remove the other undesirables such as those filthy pubs and betting shops.

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