36 object to parking cost hikes (From The Argus)
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36 object to parking cost hikes
4:55pm Tuesday 14th February 2012 in News By Tim Ridgway
Campaigners have blamed town hall methods after planned parking charge hikes received just 36 official objections.
Brighton and Hove City Council advertised a range of increases as part of proposals to reduce congestion, improve air quality and raise revenue in the face of Government cuts.
About 1,200 people signed petitions against the plans which will see some tariffs in the city increase by more than 100% in the next financial year.
But ahead of revised proposals being agreed on Friday, council papers show just 36 people responded to the traffic orders advertising the increases.
Campaigners said they were not aware of the procedure that local authorities followed.
Transport Cabinet member Ian Davey, who is set to agree the amended parking tariffs at a meeting in Hove Town Hall at 2pm on Friday, February 17 said the review made the city’s parking system “clearer, fairer and more consistent”.
He added: “As a result of consultation on our budget proposals, we have listened and lowered the proposed increases on permits.
“There are too many cars looking for too few spaces and nobody benefits from congestion.”
The relatively low response to the traffic orders, which are advertised in local media and on the authority’s website, comes after the largest consultation ever on the city council budget.
Of 36 objections to the advertised orders, 16 were to the general increase in tariffs. Ten were about the planned rises in Madeira Drive while just one was about the revised trader permit prices.
This was despite a high-profile campaign against the plans, which saw up to 90 vehicles drive around Hove Town Hall before a council meeting last month.
Elliott Raggio, of campaign group Traders Need Transport said: “I have put myself out there but did not know about responding to any traffic order. If I didn’t know about the procedure then how would the general public?"
The revised plans will see annual trader and business permits increase from £350 and £175 to £600 and £300 respectively.
The revised charges, which will come into force on April 1, will see weekend rates would also be introduced at city centre car parks.
Comments(8)
fred clause
says...
5:26pm Tue 14 Feb 12
NickBtn
says...
7:23pm Tue 14 Feb 12
"But Mr Dent, the plans have been available in the local planning office for the last nine months."
"Oh yes, well as soon as I heard I went straight round to see them, yesterday afternoon. You hadn't exactly gone out of your way to call attention to them, had you? I mean, like actually telling anybody or anything."
"But the plans were on display ..."
"On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them."
"That's the display department."
"With a flashlight."
"Ah, well the lights had probably gone."
"So had the stairs."
"But look, you found the notice didn't you?"
"Yes," said Arthur, "yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying 'Beware of the Leopard'."
fredflintstone1
says...
7:25pm Tue 14 Feb 12
Joshiman
says...
9:00am Wed 15 Feb 12
Andy R
says...
9:37am Wed 15 Feb 12
fredflintstone1 wrote:Hmmm...Oxford and Cambridge "prohibit" students from having cars? How do they do that then?
The situation re. parking could be made much better without ANY increase in parking charges, especially around Elm Grove if the universities prohibited students from having cars. There's no need for any student in the city to have a car, with a few limited exceptions, eg they're on a medical course, thanks to the excellent bus and train network - for which students receive a fare reduction, plus the bike network. It's a long-standing rule at Oxford and Cambridge, so why doesn't Coun Davey ensure the universities bring in a similar rule here and do something to assist people who live permanently in the city and pay council tax? It's all very well worrying about houses in multiple occupancy for students, but what about their six accompanying cars on the street?
Oh....and just lovin' the "no-one should run a car except me" attitude!
Brightonlad
says...
9:48am Wed 15 Feb 12
deltaP
says...
2:00pm Wed 15 Feb 12
Parking charges in Brighton & Hove are already extortionate and increases will result in under use of those spaces available.
Why can I only buy tickets for 30 mins or 2 hours? What happend to 1 hour and 1 1/2 hours? Most of the time 30 mins is not enough but 2 hous is too much. As the Council well knows. It is simply a ruse (aka a con trick) to get in more of our money. Where would they turn to for revenue if everyone started using the bus? The sooner this bunch of self styled "green" clowns is kicked into touch the better for all invloved. How did B&H manage to get itself lumbered with such an inexperienced lot in the first place?
bug eye says...
5:18pm Tue 14 Feb 12
i hope residents are aware of the restriction being consulted on to stop young people wishing to share a house will be told where they can and cannot live by this council. object through the council website now, or expect higher rents and less availability.