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U-turn over the price of parking in Brighton (From The Argus)
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U-turn over the price of parking in Brighton
3:30pm Saturday 28th April 2012 in Business News By John Keenan
Council bosses have performed a U-turn on parking charges.
Brighton and Hove City Council plans to introduce a new eight-hour tariff costing £15 in the seafront high zone, which includes Madeira Drive.
The £20 all-day charge is still in place.
A new medium tariff zone on Hove seafront from the Peace Statue to east of Fourth Avenue will cost a maximum of £10.
The plans are subject to a 21-day consultation period and, if there are any objections, it will need to go a committee.
The move comes in the wake of The Argus’s Park the Charges campaign calling for the council to review all its newly-increased parking charges.
But traders in the city say the new tariffs do not go far enough.
Adam Chinery, head of the Brighton and Hove Seafront Businesses’ Association and owner of Brighton Watersports in King’s Road Arches, said the new tariff on Madeira Drive will not help.
He said: “It will still divert people to cheaper seaside resorts and retail shopping parks outside of town centres that offer free parking.
“The available spend in our city for a family will be drastically reduced. They will spend more on parking, less during that stay, or they will stay for a shorter time.”
Claire Ottewell, boss at the Brighton and Hove Tourism Alliance, said: “The parking fee changes have already had a striking impact on the tourism sector in the city, as shown by the feedback from the city-wide survey we carried out last week.
“In conjunction with other business groups across the city, Tourism Alliance member businesses welcome a new mid-tier pricing so the leap to £20 isn’t so great, although we would be keen to see a five to six-hour tier as the 2009 tourism survey shows most car day-trippers spend that amount of time in the city.
“If parking revenues are being ring-fenced to invest in transport infrastructure, we’d like to see a clear plan of what this is, including the financial plan.” Councillor Ian Davey, cabinet member for transport and the public realm, said there is an urgent need to improve traffic flow, cut congestion and cut down on pollution. He said: “The council has listened to businesses and residents, and acted on their concerns.
“These adjustments will make it easier for residents and day trippers to have an affordable day out by the sea, spending more time with our traders and on our gorgeous beaches.”
Gill Mitchell, leader of the Labour and Co-operative group on the council, said: “Why are these the only areas chosen?
“The Green’s parking plans are unravelling and, suddenly, pollution doesn’t matter when they are faced with bad publicity.”
Comments(45)
Hove Actually
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4:05pm Sat 28 Apr 12
davyboy
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4:50pm Sat 28 Apr 12
wexler53
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5:08pm Sat 28 Apr 12
mimseycal
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5:14pm Sat 28 Apr 12
bug eye
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5:20pm Sat 28 Apr 12
Ballroom Blitz
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5:25pm Sat 28 Apr 12
Put all the parking charges back to where they were 4 years ago, and then maybe I'll applaud them for seeing sense.
Anything else won't make the slightest difference to the fact that visitors are staying away from Brighton in droves since the parking increase.
Listen to the traders trying to stay afloat in these desperately troubled times. Do you want to see more empty shops in the city centre? I would have thought there were enough already.
stumpyshimmans
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5:31pm Sat 28 Apr 12
stumpyshimmans
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5:31pm Sat 28 Apr 12
Ballroom Blitz
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5:31pm Sat 28 Apr 12
davyboy wrote:Davyboy, a bit of a lame argument when it costs nearly £5 per person for a day saver, and we don't have a proper park and ride scheme anyway.
i wouldn't pay £10 or £20 to park anywhere!!! to get people to come to the city, and bother staying, parking charges should be reasonable. best idea, park outside and get a bus!!!
So two adults and it's £10 for the inconvenience of parking miles away from where you want to get to.
The council have to got to come up with a cheaper alternative of they want people to use the buses.
At the moment coming to Brighton by car or by bus is so expensive compared with other places, people are not bothering to come here. It will get worse unless there is a radical rethink.
Ballroom Blitz
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5:31pm Sat 28 Apr 12
davyboy wrote:Davyboy, a bit of a lame argument when it costs nearly £5 per person for a day saver, and we don't have a proper park and ride scheme anyway.
i wouldn't pay £10 or £20 to park anywhere!!! to get people to come to the city, and bother staying, parking charges should be reasonable. best idea, park outside and get a bus!!!
So two adults and it's £10 for the inconvenience of parking miles away from where you want to get to.
The council have to got to come up with a cheaper alternative of they want people to use the buses.
At the moment coming to Brighton by car or by bus is so expensive compared with other places, people are not bothering to come here. It will get worse unless there is a radical rethink.
Kate234
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5:34pm Sat 28 Apr 12
fedupwithgreens
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5:47pm Sat 28 Apr 12
Cash Cow
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5:58pm Sat 28 Apr 12
wexler53 wrote:Wexler 53 sounds like either a "wannabee" or failed council candidate. I wonder how much real thought went into the statement "It might be useful to consider that all residents without exception benefit from our visitors and the money they spend here". What nonsense? Yes, visitors are needed in a town whose economy depends mainly on hospitality though can you honestly believe every resident of Brighton and Hove benefit from such a fiasco as the Labour Party Conference, with weeks of Police intrusion into peoples private adresses, hours stuck in traffic because of security restrictions, then everyone at Brighton Station were once ordered to stand still and stay exactly where they were by armed Police when John Prescott arrived on a commuter train, on which he and his entourage took over two whole carriages depriving the travelling public of already limited space. The reason for this was a publicity stunt to try to fool the public into believing he was using public transport, apparently believing no one would notice his two Jags, having driven down from London to meet him at the station to transport him about a mile down the road to the Grand Hotel. How did every resident without exception benefit from that episode, it is not as if De Vere's who own the hotel is a local company either? All the Brighton people got from this was an increase in Council Tax payment to pay for the policing, as they pay for the policing and clearing up the mess left when our law breaking visitors arrive in there caravans from Ireland in ever increasing numbers. Could it be though Brighton and Hove Council charge extortionate parking rates in the name of Health and Safety, trying to discourage the use of motor vehicles in a City with an economy funded mainly by the abuse of alcohol. Finally, when Yummy Mummy has time off from supporting the Green Party and decides to drive down Mueseli Mountain to take Tarquin to the seaside to see an event like the Brighton Marathon taking place, she finds herself stuck in traffic and not being able to pay £20 to park because all the roads are closed anyway, so she turns round and takes poor Tarquin home again for a slice of green peeper and therapy. Oh the benefits of living in a modern "City by the Sea"!
A modicum of sense creeps in, but not enough. Assuming a committee would be inclusive and balanced across the political divide, let the whole matter be debated fully, taking into account the needs of the local population, tourism and commerce. Let them listen to representations, and come up with a set of sensible proposals. In the meantime, return to the previous position and try to recover something of a reputation of being a welcoming resort. It might be useful to consider that all residents without exception benefit from our visitors and the money they spend here.
Fight Back
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6:01pm Sat 28 Apr 12
HJarrs wrote:Don't be an idiot. The council haven't listened to feed back - the feed back was to REDUCE the parking fees NOT introduce a new break point. They haven't reduced charges at all.
I bet Gill Mitchellof the moribund Labour Party was no doubt against the charges in the first place and now seems to be accusing the Greens of hypocrisy when they have listened to feedback and reviewed the fees!
Take it Personally
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6:11pm Sat 28 Apr 12
Cash Cow
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6:16pm Sat 28 Apr 12
Take it Personally wrote:Very well said!
How can a city like Paris, manage free parking for all from Friday 6pm through to Monday morning 9am, and then free every weekday evening after 6 pm; and Brighton and Hove charge such extortionate rates until 8pm? These slash and burn councilors need to be held accountable for the death of this fine place and the damage its caused to so many fine local businesses. There's no long term planning, they just care about getting the money in now. Shows how unfit they all are in doing their jobs. idiots.
ShorehamBeachcomber
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7:25pm Sat 28 Apr 12
george smith
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10:07pm Sat 28 Apr 12
BrightonHoveboy
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11:26pm Sat 28 Apr 12
Alliep
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12:07am Sun 29 Apr 12
leobrighton
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12:12am Sun 29 Apr 12
Old Ale Man
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8:24am Sun 29 Apr 12
1of2mums
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9:44am Sun 29 Apr 12
Nor is congestion. You are not telling me that the endless queue of traffic from the seafront up the London Road on sunny summer days is all people looking for a parking spot.
Old Ladys Gin
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11:44am Sun 29 Apr 12
Come along to Shoreham Beach where you can park free or for less than two quid in a car park.
There's a lovely safe beach and, most important, only one beach cafe to spend your hard earned on.
A family could have a lovely day out for about a tenner spent at the seaside.
If you wish you could come into town where there are plenty of child and dog friendly pubs; selling decent food and beer without the plastic glasses and inflated prices of 'that place'
Within ten minutes walk of the beach you can meander along the river, all free and gratis.
Old Ladys Gin
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11:50am Sun 29 Apr 12
1of2mums wrote:And how many buses in the queues carrying next to no people?
Pollution is not a non-argument. In 2010, NO2 concentrations were above the legal limit at several places in central Brighton.
Nor is congestion. You are not telling me that the endless queue of traffic from the seafront up the London Road on sunny summer days is all people looking for a parking spot.
IMHO buses cause pollution as does any other vehicle, even a horse, and also create not an inconsiderable amount of congestion.
bigwordsmith
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12:20pm Sun 29 Apr 12
The traffic calming (or should that be 'congestion') measures employed by the council actually make things a lot worse.
We need more parking, not less. We need wider roads to accommodate visitors, and we need reasonable charges so that people can visit, and work, in the City.
Businesses - i.e. those things that give people decent, well-paying, local jobs are being driven out of the City by these stupid charges - just look at all the empty offices.
IT now costs more to park in Brighton each day than to get a first class season ticket to London, and guess where all the employment opportunities are.
So unless the whole **** thing is sorted out pronto, Brighton is going to become another Margate - lots of formerly great hotels and offices now full of benefit tenants largely from third world and form Soviet union countries, with no significant local employers.
Maybe if Jason Kitkat and his green idiot cronies handmade their intentions to do this to BRighton clear at the start they wouldn't have got in.
Alliep
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1:38pm Sun 29 Apr 12
1of2mums wrote:What else are they doing there? You don't drive through the centre of Brighton to get anywhere else! They are trying to get in to have a day out in our shops, restaurants our visit our beaches and spend spend spend.
Pollution is not a non-argument. In 2010, NO2 concentrations were above the legal limit at several places in central Brighton.
Nor is congestion. You are not telling me that the endless queue of traffic from the seafront up the London Road on sunny summer days is all people looking for a parking spot.
wexler53
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1:59pm Sun 29 Apr 12
antonyA
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3:19pm Sun 29 Apr 12
antonyA
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3:22pm Sun 29 Apr 12
1of2mums
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3:39pm Sun 29 Apr 12
@Old Ladys Gin The buses don't get stuck in traffic jams because we have bus lanes. If more people used the buses, that would add nothing to the amount of pollution they emit. If more people drive, each extra car adds something.
@bigwordsmith Wider roads? More car parks? Shall we concrete over all the parks and knock down some houses then?
antonyA
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4:25pm Sun 29 Apr 12
Old Ladys Gin wrote:BUILD A MULTI STORY CARPARK at or before a23 roundabout,and FORCE ALBION FOOTBALL GROUND to do same and there we go ,2 5000 capacity carparks park and ride,simples,cheap parking all day free travel on city transport,falmer has station already patcham isnt that hard to put a trainstop near roundabout ,COME ON GREENS CANT YOU EVEN THINK OF SIMPLE IDEAs or is it your just simple...
1of2mums wrote:And how many buses in the queues carrying next to no people?
Pollution is not a non-argument. In 2010, NO2 concentrations were above the legal limit at several places in central Brighton.
Nor is congestion. You are not telling me that the endless queue of traffic from the seafront up the London Road on sunny summer days is all people looking for a parking spot.
IMHO buses cause pollution as does any other vehicle, even a horse, and also create not an inconsiderable amount of congestion.
antonyA
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4:40pm Sun 29 Apr 12
pinkcosmos
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6:22pm Sun 29 Apr 12
Not enough...People come to Brighton for a day out, and won't give up the car. 8 hour tariff still a lot to pay and why charge throughout the city until 8pm?
dsvm22
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7:50pm Sun 29 Apr 12
bbbazcooper
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8:33pm Sun 29 Apr 12
dsvm22 wrote:I have wondered about the viability of suing the council because they certainly are not looking after the interests of the law abiding citizens or protecting our green spaces or local businesses. The problem is Greens are not interested in anything other than their own ideology and they clearly don't care about our city or what the residents think.
I think it’s too late, the whole of the country and most of Europe now know Brighton is the most expensive place to park in the whole world. Holiday in Brighton NO, Business in Brighton NO, Live in Brighton, if you have no car you are welcome, Travellers welcome as long as you make your camp in a public place like Wild Park, tear up the grass, F*** off and leave the repairs to the tax payer. Well done Greens, I think, business and people should start getting together to SUE the Greens for incompetence of running our City into the ground and use it as a test case for other councils within this country, Who’s behind me?
They were elected on the back of the student vote and, unfortunately they are now playing student union politics because they haven't grown up enough to be proper politicians.
Just be sure to vote them out next time round and annoy and obstruct them as much as possible in the meantime to limit their mindless daage to our city.
antonyA
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9:54pm Sun 29 Apr 12
bbbazcooper wrote:GET THEM OUT NOW.....
dsvm22 wrote:I have wondered about the viability of suing the council because they certainly are not looking after the interests of the law abiding citizens or protecting our green spaces or local businesses. The problem is Greens are not interested in anything other than their own ideology and they clearly don't care about our city or what the residents think.
I think it’s too late, the whole of the country and most of Europe now know Brighton is the most expensive place to park in the whole world. Holiday in Brighton NO, Business in Brighton NO, Live in Brighton, if you have no car you are welcome, Travellers welcome as long as you make your camp in a public place like Wild Park, tear up the grass, F*** off and leave the repairs to the tax payer. Well done Greens, I think, business and people should start getting together to SUE the Greens for incompetence of running our City into the ground and use it as a test case for other councils within this country, Who’s behind me?
They were elected on the back of the student vote and, unfortunately they are now playing student union politics because they haven't grown up enough to be proper politicians.
Just be sure to vote them out next time round and annoy and obstruct them as much as possible in the meantime to limit their mindless daage to our city.
Old Ladys Gin
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8:41am Mon 30 Apr 12
1of2mums wrote:Buses do get delayed by congestion and often that causes by other buses, many half or more empty, taking up half the road.
@Alliep They are queuing in traffic because there are too many cars. They are not "driving around and around looking for somewhere to park" as you suggested earlier.
@Old Ladys Gin The buses don't get stuck in traffic jams because we have bus lanes. If more people used the buses, that would add nothing to the amount of pollution they emit. If more people drive, each extra car adds something.
@bigwordsmith Wider roads? More car parks? Shall we concrete over all the parks and knock down some houses then?
Put extra weight into any vehicle and it will use more fuel, this emit more gases etc. A full bus uses more fuel than an empty one.
The first pollutes more the latter is a complete waste of all resources.
Old Ladys Gin
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10:17am Mon 30 Apr 12
1of2mums wrote:In other countries they build car parks underground.
@Alliep They are queuing in traffic because there are too many cars. They are not "driving around and around looking for somewhere to park" as you suggested earlier.
@Old Ladys Gin The buses don't get stuck in traffic jams because we have bus lanes. If more people used the buses, that would add nothing to the amount of pollution they emit. If more people drive, each extra car adds something.
@bigwordsmith Wider roads? More car parks? Shall we concrete over all the parks and knock down some houses then?
Visit many 'mainland' cities and you will find the main squares and streets have car parks underneath them.
Think that all the seafront squares, Churchill Sq, East and West Streets could have car parks underneath.
The infrastructure has been allowed to decay for years and now everyone is chasing their tails thinking what to do.
Old Ladys Gin
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10:24am Mon 30 Apr 12
In Amsterdam they are building a metro system (a lot already completed) and the city is not only very crowded, it is also built almost entirely on sand!
Lack of imagination, penny pinching and political dogma is all that is holding the 'town' of Brighton and Hove back.
Falhawk66
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12:44pm Mon 30 Apr 12
Cash Cow
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1:00pm Mon 30 Apr 12
wexler53 wrote:Are you sure you are not a politician, "taken overall" is a bit of a climb down from "without exception" a change of stance without concession, very MP'ish!
Well Cashcow, for the record I'm neither a "wannabe" nor a "failed council candidate". I am pleased however, that I helped you to get that lot off your chest !! Actually, I agree with some of your points. They point to money wasted, and a great deal of inconvenience caused by decisions made by people who operate in a vacuum seperated from the reality of day to day life. However, taken overall, yes I do believe we all benefit from the visitors. For example, do you believe that the variety of restaurants and rather off the wall shops that provide employment, and contribute to the city's economy through taxes etc would exist on the basis of the city's population alone? Without visitors, many of these places would fail quickly along with the business that support them. So I agree we don't need Prescott's stunts, nor some of our visitors who abuse the facilities in the city, but we do need the students (national and international) and the tourists and other vistors to come and spend money here. We should be a welcoming city with a local government that works for us all. We don't need a minority group of ideological nincompoops thrusting their misconceived ideas on us.
I am surprised you are asking me "do you believe that the variety of restaurants and rather off the wall shops that provide employment, and contribute to the city's economy through taxes etc would exist on the basis of the city's population alone" because I have already said visitors are obviously needed in an economy fueled by hospitality, though actually I do think a well run restaurant serving decent food at a fair price could thrive in a densely populated area with visitors or without, depending more on the state of the wider economy. I love your choice of words, I could just imagining you standing on your orange box, or driving around in one of those old cars with the trumpet like speakers on the roof, shouting "No To The Idealogical Nincompoops" at the top of your voice, you never know you might even get re-elected?
Joshiman
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5:12pm Mon 30 Apr 12
in Eastbourne.Paid nothing yes zero nothing for parking.Had a nice meal.Did some shopping and said"Thats it Eastbourne day trips for us this summer".Maybe even try Hastings/Rye.Unfortu
nately Brighton is out for them too expensive.Multiply that by maybe a few hundred day trippers and work out what an average spend is.When the word gets round.Brighton will have had it for tourism.Even my brother who usually comes down with his family in the summer and stays in one of the cheaper hotels will not be coming this year because the car parking was dearer than the hotel.
wexler53
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7:03pm Mon 30 Apr 12
HJarrs says...
4:04pm Sat 28 Apr 12