Brighton and Hove traders prompt parking fee rethink

10:31am Tuesday 24th April 2012 in park the charges Exclusive By John Keenan

Controversial parking price hikes could be reversed after businesses said they were hitting trade.

Brighton and Hove City Council has said it will look again at parking charges on the seafront which it doubled less than a month ago.

The council will also consider making further changes to its parking tariffs as the tourist season develops.

The comprehensive raising of parking charges was first revealed by The Argus last November.

Yesterday’s u-turn came in the wake of a city-wide survey which found that 43 per cent of businesses said they had suffered financially because of the charges.

More than 48 per cent said that their customers were cutting spending in the city because of higher parking fees.

The Brighton and Hove parking survey was organised by the city’s Tourism Alliance with the co-operation of Brighton and Hove Hoteliers Association, Hove Business Association, North Laine Traders Association, Brighton Business Improvement District (BID), the Let's Do Business exhibition, Deans Business Club and Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce.

More than 200 business owners responded to the survey.

Claire Ottewell, the chair of the Tourism Alliance said: "We organised the survey last week in response to businesses’ genuine concerns about the impact of the parking charge changes on the visitor economy.

Related links

"The parking charges issue has demonstrated that we collectively need to revisit park and ride options, and for stakeholders to be consulted more fully by the council in the future."

Gavin Stewart, the managing director of Brighton BID, said the survey was representative of traders across the city.

He said: “Owners and managers are highly anxious that the increase in parking charges will be detrimental to their business by making the city inaccessible to many travelling by car.

“Many already struggling businesses have reported reduced trade since the increase has come in and they are overwhelmingly calling for a u-turn on the increases before it’s too late.”

Paul Yates-Smith, the owner and operator of Deans Business Club, said: “The Green approach has lost touch with common sense. It’s no good just attacking the motorist with no thought-out plan. We need to reopen a serious debate about park and ride in the city.”

Andrew Nichol, the chair of Hove Business Association, said: “I think the results speak for themselves. Obviously the starting point would be consultation and to my knowledge, none was carried out. From the evidence presented, the business community has been completely ignored.”

Council leader Bill Randall said: “Following conversations with businesses and residents, we are looking again at the seafront charges. We are monitoring parking patterns as the tourist season gets underway. Our central purpose remains the same - to curb traffic congestion and vehicle pollution in the city centre by encouraging visitors to use car parks in less-congested areas.”

What do you think?

Comments(61)

mimseycal says...
10:45am Tue 24 Apr 12

I avoid shopping in Brighton and have been avoiding it because of the high parking charges for a few years now.

Report this post »

graham_Seagull says...
10:49am Tue 24 Apr 12

I regularly see drivers get out of their car, walk up to the ticket machine, exhale deeply, walk off, get back in then drive off.

that must happen dozens of times a day just in my road near the town centre

Report this post »

beefybarn says...
11:08am Tue 24 Apr 12

I run a company in Hove which means my guys have to park in town. Our parking charges have gone up by nearly £200 a month and we cannot even get a traders permit because of the waiting list and the councils refusal to issue anymore.
I would like to ask the council how they expect businesses like ours to survive having to find an extra £2500 a year just to park.

Report this post »

rfairweather@tiscali.co.uk says...
11:09am Tue 24 Apr 12

Brighton/Hove could learn from Norwich which has a brilliant Park'Ride scheme, with frequent services into the city centre from huge car parks which ring the city. There is even a dedicated P&R service to the Norfolk and Norwich hospital, thus enabling patients to avoid high parking charges at the hospital. It's not rocket science, so it should be within the grasp of the Green Party!

Report this post »

andrew1379 says...
11:17am Tue 24 Apr 12

If bus prices had halved along with prices for parking doubling then maybe this would work but they haven't. This feels ill-thought-out and impacts those who can least afford an increase in their daily and leisure-time spending.

Report this post »

fascinator says...
11:35am Tue 24 Apr 12

The bus fares can be good value. I've often bought a saver ticket and made up to 6 rides in a day.

Report this post »

fred clause says...
11:52am Tue 24 Apr 12

What a suprise this is blowing up in Jason Kitkat's face ,him and his green cronies remind me of the osterich burying their heads in the sand as they have no clue whatsoever.

Report this post »

Spanners says...
12:09pm Tue 24 Apr 12

fascinator wrote:
The bus fares can be good value. I've often bought a saver ticket and made up to 6 rides in a day.
IF you make that many then you may consider it a good deal. The other side of the coin is that Brighton has one of the highest per mile charges on its buses anywhere in the UK

Report this post »

mimseycal says...
12:49pm Tue 24 Apr 12

fascinator wrote:
The bus fares can be good value. I've often bought a saver ticket and made up to 6 rides in a day.
Then again would we really want to spend most of our day jumping on and off buses? And how does that help increase the spending at local traders?

Report this post »

Gary Manilow says...
12:53pm Tue 24 Apr 12

Re: Busses. Running late for work the other day (on Davigdor road) I thought I'd jump on a bus to take me 2 stops up the road. Cost? £2 - 2 bloody quid! I remember when they went down the £1 flat fare route. Since then the price has been on a neverending upward trajectory. It's ridiculous.

Report this post »

ripmaxman says...
1:09pm Tue 24 Apr 12

Last week driving yes driving along Kingsway I saw only one car parked, before the ridiculous parking charge hike it was nearly always full.

This must have a serious impact on money collected by the council.

Wake up you Greens and get into the real world as I can’t see how charging £20 will cut down on traffic and pollution in the City Centre.

Report this post »

Wiggsy says...
1:14pm Tue 24 Apr 12

"Council leader Bill Randall said: “Following conversations with businesses and residents, we are looking again at the seafront charges"

Any reason why the council didn't think it might be a good (and therefore a cost effective) idea to consult with businesses and residents prior to the proposed increases?

Report this post »

wexler53 says...
1:30pm Tue 24 Apr 12

Problem is the damage is done. Negative news spreads so much more quickly than positive news, so Brighton's image as overpriced is here and will take a while to change back. Even a prompt downward review will take time to work through, and I bet they don't put it down that much.
This is the problem when a bunch of ideologically driven amateurs are in charge. They think they know best for the majority and common sense goes out of the window.
In addition, as most of these people have never had a proper job, and rely on an ever increasing tax take (not a bottomless pit by the way - although they seem to think it is), the idea of operating within their budgets doesn't seem to occur to them. More importantly, as a business, there is a market price for our services. As a result, all these increases lead to cuts in margins, and ultimately, job losses.

Report this post »

Bubs says...
1:38pm Tue 24 Apr 12

Does Brighton & Hove want to stay viable as a seaside resort and be an attractive destination for visitors who want to go to the beach? They discourage people from parking on the sea front and provide no transport facilities apart from taxi from those "car parks in less congested areas". What are visiting families supposed to do? Bring a trolley or carry blankets, picnic, kids and beach balls? It ain't gonna happen.

Report this post »

mimseycal says...
1:48pm Tue 24 Apr 12

"Any reason why the council didn't think it might be a good (and therefore a cost effective) idea to consult with businesses and residents prior to the proposed increases?”

Answer: Yup! If we did that in the first place we would end up having less meetings, we couldn't generate more requests for reports, collate more findings and generally it would speed up the entire process ... saints forbid!

Report this post »

Jimmy Stewart's Imaginary Rabbit says...
2:16pm Tue 24 Apr 12

I can believe the findings. Like other Brighton residents the high bus fares and high parking charges mean our family have changed our behaviour - we go to Crawley, Lewes, Eastbourne and Worthing instead.

I'm not holding my breath though, as it means that a lot of stupid people are going to have to admit that they've acted in stupid manner and I doubt whether they'll have the political guts.

Report this post »

clubrob6 says...
2:54pm Tue 24 Apr 12

Customers are not just cutting spending in the city its chasing custom away,my brother,wife and 4 kids came to visit me but instead of paying the parking fee in brighton they went to eastboure instead.So much for green policy,people wont pay if they know they are getting ripped off and of course word spreads chasing other customers away.

Report this post »

deve says...
4:18pm Tue 24 Apr 12

My visitors have their own park and ride. They drive to mine, unload, then we drive both cars to a street a few miles away with free parking. Then we come back in my car - and repeat the process later when need their car or few days later on the day they leave. The greens have added to more cars on the road, reduced parking income, additional polution from extra miles driven and reduced number of parking spaces on the edge of parking zones.

Report this post »

mangledcat says...
4:24pm Tue 24 Apr 12

Thank you Andre. Made my day.

Report this post »

mustaphaLeeko says...
5:02pm Tue 24 Apr 12

deve wrote:
My visitors have their own park and ride. They drive to mine, unload, then we drive both cars to a street a few miles away with free parking. Then we come back in my car - and repeat the process later when need their car or few days later on the day they leave. The greens have added to more cars on the road, reduced parking income, additional polution from extra miles driven and reduced number of parking spaces on the edge of parking zones.
haha! Mine do exactly the same, park just outside the centre of town and they leave their car for the day, thus avoiding ALL the parking charges and give me a couple of quid for the petrol I use taking them!

Well done, Brighton Greens have actually reduced the amount my friends spend on parking with their huge increases and contributed to more pollution when I drive my big thirsty old car hahaha!

Report this post »

bbbazcooper says...
5:10pm Tue 24 Apr 12

wexler53 wrote:
Problem is the damage is done. Negative news spreads so much more quickly than positive news, so Brighton's image as overpriced is here and will take a while to change back. Even a prompt downward review will take time to work through, and I bet they don't put it down that much.
This is the problem when a bunch of ideologically driven amateurs are in charge. They think they know best for the majority and common sense goes out of the window.
In addition, as most of these people have never had a proper job, and rely on an ever increasing tax take (not a bottomless pit by the way - although they seem to think it is), the idea of operating within their budgets doesn't seem to occur to them. More importantly, as a business, there is a market price for our services. As a result, all these increases lead to cuts in margins, and ultimately, job losses.
Spot on wexler53, but this is what you get when 23 councillors, with a combined IQ of less than a single pigeon, left in charge of the asylum that is now Brighton & Hove Council

Report this post »

mackeson says...
5:23pm Tue 24 Apr 12

mustaphaLeeko wrote:
deve wrote:
My visitors have their own park and ride. They drive to mine, unload, then we drive both cars to a street a few miles away with free parking. Then we come back in my car - and repeat the process later when need their car or few days later on the day they leave. The greens have added to more cars on the road, reduced parking income, additional polution from extra miles driven and reduced number of parking spaces on the edge of parking zones.
haha! Mine do exactly the same, park just outside the centre of town and they leave their car for the day, thus avoiding ALL the parking charges and give me a couple of quid for the petrol I use taking them!

Well done, Brighton Greens have actually reduced the amount my friends spend on parking with their huge increases and contributed to more pollution when I drive my big thirsty old car hahaha!
You bssss think its great to park your cars for days on end in roads with "free" parking. but you never consider the residents of those roads who now can't park any where near their own houses. Our road is worse than being in a T*S*O's car park

Report this post »

Old Ladys Gin says...
6:09pm Tue 24 Apr 12

The people of the town (It is not, and never will be in my mind, a city) run the show.
If they want lower parking charges then the council should provide it, and vice versa.
A council which dictates does exactly that, dictates!
The majority of europe has had enough of that type of thing in the past.

Report this post »

Fight Back says...
6:30pm Tue 24 Apr 12

Wiggsy wrote:
"Council leader Bill Randall said: “Following conversations with businesses and residents, we are looking again at the seafront charges"

Any reason why the council didn't think it might be a good (and therefore a cost effective) idea to consult with businesses and residents prior to the proposed increases?
Exactly what jumped into my head when I read his quote. Typical councillor - we know best and so will do what we think is best but won't ask people in the know ( unless of course it means spending thousands of pounds on consultants to do so ! ). The Greens have caught on quickly.

Report this post »

brightonsaints says...
6:32pm Tue 24 Apr 12

Finally some common sense. We wonder why our high streets are dying when you cannot "pop" into town for a few bits and pieces without having to pay the earth for the convinience.
As a manager of 3 businesses in Brighton I have seen footfall steadily decrease in the last 3 years, the local council need to wake up and smell the coffee!

Report this post »

NickBtn says...
6:52pm Tue 24 Apr 12

So hopefully a U-turn on parking prices?

But beware - Lewes Road changes are being proposed so the free running dual becomes a single carriageway for lorries, vans and cars... thus more pollution in the hope that thousands of people will change their ways often without these options being available!

There is a consultation this time - so take your chance and submit

I've supported the changes to cycle lanes as well as for more enforcement of current rules. This can be done without the need to remove the dual carriageway to give bus lanes. The removal of the dual carriageway will increase congestion, pollution and use of other roads....

Report this post »

fedupwithgreens says...
7:07pm Tue 24 Apr 12

rfairweather@tiscali
.co.uk wrote:
Brighton/Hove could learn from Norwich which has a brilliant Park'Ride scheme, with frequent services into the city centre from huge car parks which ring the city. There is even a dedicated P&R service to the Norfolk and Norwich hospital, thus enabling patients to avoid high parking charges at the hospital. It's not rocket science, so it should be within the grasp of the Green Party!
in grasp of the green party,dont make me laugh! youde be better off having a group if year 5 children running the city,and theyde do a better job!!!! long hail the elections,bye bye loony toons lucas!!!

Report this post »

fedupwithgreens says...
7:13pm Tue 24 Apr 12

wexler53 wrote:
Problem is the damage is done. Negative news spreads so much more quickly than positive news, so Brighton's image as overpriced is here and will take a while to change back. Even a prompt downward review will take time to work through, and I bet they don't put it down that much.
This is the problem when a bunch of ideologically driven amateurs are in charge. They think they know best for the majority and common sense goes out of the window.
In addition, as most of these people have never had a proper job, and rely on an ever increasing tax take (not a bottomless pit by the way - although they seem to think it is), the idea of operating within their budgets doesn't seem to occur to them. More importantly, as a business, there is a market price for our services. As a result, all these increases lead to cuts in margins, and ultimately, job losses.
theyve scrored a terrible own goal as this will reflect on them in the elections!!!! what a bunch of muppets that lot are, perhaps rhe next party will ask locals BEFORE initiating the increase in charges!!!!! unbelievable lack of leadership,they must go and right NOW!!!!

Report this post »

fedupwithgreens says...
7:14pm Tue 24 Apr 12

Bubs wrote:
Does Brighton & Hove want to stay viable as a seaside resort and be an attractive destination for visitors who want to go to the beach? They discourage people from parking on the sea front and provide no transport facilities apart from taxi from those "car parks in less congested areas". What are visiting families supposed to do? Bring a trolley or carry blankets, picnic, kids and beach balls? It ain't gonna happen.
sadly the damage has been done to the town! if you want more damage,vote green,if you dont,a beers on me!!!

Report this post »

Maxwell's Ghost says...
7:27pm Tue 24 Apr 12

It's not just the seafront which needs reviewing.
I usually walk or cycle to the Duke of York cinema. However, last Monday I offered to drive a friend of mine to the pictures and for an Indian who has severe athritis and cannot walk long distances and is awaiting for a hip operation.
I dropped him off right outside the cinema and went to park the car in nearby New England Street opposite the scrap metal place.
The bay was completely empty which seemed odd. Then I realised why. Parking fees had gone up and now apply up to 8pm and cost £3.50 an hour.
I could not believe my bloody eyes as it was 6pm and I would have to cough up £7 to park on a cold, wet, deserted street on a Monday night when it used to be free after 6pm.
Just like all the other people who probably once used the bay, I re-started the car and picked up my mate from outisde the cinema and drove to the Marina for free parking and the cinema.
Sorry Duke of Yorks, sorry Indian restaurant. Like many other traders your seats will be empty like the parking bays.

Report this post »

bogs says...
7:39pm Tue 24 Apr 12

Where is that dopey bird Lucas? Can she not see what is happening to this town? Still at least she is only a 1 termer and will not get a pension!

Report this post »

bug eye says...
7:41pm Tue 24 Apr 12

once the council has driven away the tourists and residents from shopping they are planning to stop young people sharing houses in the east of the city. another stupid action as this will drive away our young people and students that spend money in the city, and push rent prices up. another policy not thought out by the Greenies and they do not listen to the experts who are all the national landlord associations and the respectable landlords on the ground. object now to the ridiculous policy consultation for planning permission needed for houses renting to sharers, or supply will run out when it is most needed and push up rents.

Report this post »

salty_pete says...
7:42pm Tue 24 Apr 12

I bet the businesses in the Marina have seen a big spike in their trade. Do you think that the free parking has anything to do with it?
And how will the Greens make up the loss of revenue from the non-existent tourists not using the extortionate parking bays? All front line service users beware of another round of cuts !

Report this post »

antonyA says...
8:06pm Tue 24 Apr 12

The sign at patcham rounderbout should be changed to welcome to Brighton(if your driving a car and have money to spend do not pass this sign,turn round and find somwhere where the word welcome is used honestly)

Report this post »

HJarrs says...
8:35pm Tue 24 Apr 12

I thought it was a mistake to meddle with parking charges and I am pleased that they will now be reviewed and a more sensible stratergy pursued. We should not price people out of their cars, rather we should provide an alternative such as the proposed changes to Lewes Road, which is to finally have safe cycle lanes and decent bus lanes. Also, there are significant improvements on there way on the railway between Hastings and Brighton, the combination of which will mean a real alternative to many of those who currently drive.

Report this post »

Maxwell's Ghost says...
9:40pm Tue 24 Apr 12

Bug eye, stop spouting nonsense.
The council has brought in a licensing scheme for private landlords turning family homes into properties of multiple occupation.
This will ensure homes are available for rent for families. It will also generate an income for the council to manage student and HMOs which are currently 'unmanaged' by some landlords who have left the council to manage huge numbers of anti-social behaviour complaints, complaints about rubbish generated from these homes, slum housing and also noise complaints.
All of these issues have been managed by the council at the council tax payers expense because student landlords do not pay any council tax to the council.
Why should I pay council tax for the council to manage properties owned by you.
Stop bleating, if you had kept your houses in order instead of leaving it to the council, the licensing system woud not have been necessary.
It was probably your student slum let tenants who voted this lot in so you got what you encouraged into this city and you are part of the problem.
Local homes for local people.

Report this post »

World's Gone Mad says...
6:30am Wed 25 Apr 12

Tax all but essential travel off the road and increase permit parking costs in line with other parts of the UK. Net effect, fewer cars, less congestion, happier people!

Report this post »

Will600000 says...
6:41am Wed 25 Apr 12

It seems to me that government, not just local, are of the opinion that if you can afford a car then you must be rich ! And therefore, a bottom less sorce of funds.
Road tax, insurance, fuel costs, service costs, all on the up and up !
Anyway, who needs to park, the whole town is like a car park these days! Every direction you take you hit gridlock, the city is ridicules for traffic.

Report this post »

Will600000 says...
6:43am Wed 25 Apr 12

World's Gone Mad wrote:
Tax all but essential travel off the road and increase permit parking costs in line with other parts of the UK. Net effect, fewer cars, less congestion, happier people!
Fewer cars = less vistors to the city = less money coming in to the city ! Genius !!!

Report this post »

hogarth123 says...
7:26am Wed 25 Apr 12

quick message to Bill and Kitcat and their looney mates...............
.GO NOW !

Green Party running our city.

NEVER AGAIN

Report this post »

1of2mums says...
8:52am Wed 25 Apr 12

Re consultation: the administration did publish their budget proposals three months before the meeting that made the decision to increase parking charges. They ran an extensive consultation exercise, involving postal surveys, an online budget simulator and focus groups. They met with voluntary groups, businesses and trade unions. So it's not true to say that these proposals were not discussed with anyone beforehand. It was the most open budget process the city has ever seen.

Neither of the opposition parties proposed amendments to the parking charge proposals and both of them voted for the eventual budget.

Re the survey of businesses: the Argus reports that 43% of those responding said that they had lost income because of the parking changes. Does this mean that 57% said they hadn't? Or (more likely) that it was too soon to say, given that the new parking charges have only been in effect for three weeks? Why not publish the full results of the survey?

Report this post »

mimseycal says...
9:11am Wed 25 Apr 12

Fair enough 1of2mums. On the other hand ...

No survey ever has a 100% return. 43% response is actually quite a good return and indicative of a certain height of feeling regarding the issue.

Further, it is unnecessary to put a tight tourniquet around a windpipe to establish that it will result in a lack of oxygen to the brain.

Report this post »

1of2mums says...
9:41am Wed 25 Apr 12

We haven't been given the full results of the survey, but I don't think 43% was the response rate. As I read the story, that was the proportion *of those who responded* who claimed they had lost money because of the parking charge increases. I've seen the survey questions and there is no evidence asked for, so it's essentially just asking people to guess what the effect has been. I don't see how anyone can make accurate statements after only 3 weeks anyway.

Report this post »

absolutelyamazed says...
9:46am Wed 25 Apr 12

£20 for parking along the seafront?.. I don't drive anymore as I can't afford to run a car but that just seems insane. My worry is that they'll keep it until after the summer to see if they can make any extra money from the tourist trade. In the meantime I sincerely hope the traders along that stretch do not suffer too badly.

Report this post »

deve says...
9:47am Wed 25 Apr 12

Who needs a survey - just watch people as they park and see their disgust when they see the pay and display costs, then see them drive off. Survey visitors coming into town, then survey them leaving and ask about their experience. Also look at how many empty parking spaces. They may park up somewhere this time as they have arrived in Brighton, but they won’t be back. All the towns near Brighton must be rubbing their hands with glee and thanking the council for driving visitors away from Brighton to their towns. We are almost in a recession, businesses are crying out for customers - and the council are interested in green issues - what a joke. Who can afford to drive visitors and business away - nobody - but B and H council do. We must be the laughing stock of all other responsible councils. Most Brighton business do does not survive on people living in Brighton and Hove – Brighton’s lifeblood is visitors.

Report this post »

mimseycal says...
9:54am Wed 25 Apr 12

Even giving that to be the case, it is still extremely telling.

There are times to take economic gambles and there are times when it is highly irresponsible to do so.

I don't know whether or not this particular economic gamble would have paid off in the long run. I do know that we are currently in rather a precarious economic position, nationally as well as locally (not to say anything about globally).

The time to milk a cow is when the udders are full.

Report this post »

andrew1379 says...
12:10pm Wed 25 Apr 12

Its not just a problem on the seafront. There after people who live in Brighton who aren't next to the seas but have still seen their fees and fees for their visitors go up. The whole lot need revision.

Report this post »

wexler53 says...
1:02pm Wed 25 Apr 12

1of2moms...the reality is that as a business, we can't put up our prices because it's very competitive out there, and clients will not, or can't pay more. Yet, our costs are increasing non stop, finance is tighter so it is no longer worth working in the town centre. It's not just the parking, but that's the last straw. We are no longer taking clients in the town centre, phasing out those we have and laying off the staff.
Sadly we live in the real world, not that inhabited by people whose biggest worry is completing their expense account.

Report this post »

Old Ladys Gin says...
1:48pm Wed 25 Apr 12

World's Gone Mad wrote:
Tax all but essential travel off the road and increase permit parking costs in line with other parts of the UK. Net effect, fewer cars, less congestion, happier people!
Surely that way only the rich will drive?
Things could revert to the 'Good old Days' and the likes of everyone else will have to doff their caps as the rich sweep by unhindered.
On Crystal Palace Parade in South London is a memorial to the first pedestrian killed by a motor vehicle. She was a 'servant girl' and the person driving the car was not charged with any offence.
Can you see the future for what you advocate?

Report this post »

BB1975 says...
2:41pm Wed 25 Apr 12

fascinator wrote:
The bus fares can be good value. I've often bought a saver ticket and made up to 6 rides in a day.
It is really not good value when you have to use the bus to get to work every day and only make two journeys per day. It is a complete rip off in fact and the bus company is allowed to charge what it likes it seems.

Report this post »

BB1975 says...
2:52pm Wed 25 Apr 12

bogs wrote:
Where is that dopey bird Lucas? Can she not see what is happening to this town? Still at least she is only a 1 termer and will not get a pension!
Erm, Caroline Lucus is an MP, not a councillor, and there are two other MP's in Brighton and Hove so why is this all her responsibility?

Report this post »

mimseycal says...
3:05pm Wed 25 Apr 12

"Erm, Caroline Lucus is an MP, not a councillor, and there are two other MP's in Brighton and Hove so why is this all her responsibility?”

Possibly that C.Lucas MP is a green, the other two are conservatives?

Report this post »

1of2mums says...
3:34pm Wed 25 Apr 12

BB1975 wrote:
fascinator wrote:
The bus fares can be good value. I've often bought a saver ticket and made up to 6 rides in a day.
It is really not good value when you have to use the bus to get to work every day and only make two journeys per day. It is a complete rip off in fact and the bus company is allowed to charge what it likes it seems.
If you are travelling by bus every day, an annual saver is much better value. It works out at £1.23 per day.

Report this post »

mimseycal says...
3:46pm Wed 25 Apr 12

Yes ... but you would need to find all that money upfront first. Try that when you are on a family on budget and more than one of you uses the bus.

Report this post »

BrunswickSquare says...
4:40pm Wed 25 Apr 12

On Sunday, I had a van to put some furniture into storage. I left it on the seafront after 8pm free of charge. Monday morning, I went over just before 9am to pay for a couple of hours so I could travel after the rush hour had completely finished. The parking, which, in 2009 when I moved here was £1 per hour is now £3.50 for the first hour, thereby emphasising the cost of the first hour. I decided to leave for Bexhill then rather than pay for the parking.

If I was driving along the coast and wanted to stop briefly for a coffee etc I would be put off by that sort of heavy charge for one hour, so Brighton would lose the business.

If we want to see what Brighton & Hove would be like if we frightened off the visitors (no theatres, concerts, restaurants etc.) a trip to Bexhill might open the eyes ...

Report this post »

1of2mums says...
5:07pm Wed 25 Apr 12

mimseycal wrote:
Yes ... but you would need to find all that money upfront first. Try that when you are on a family on budget and more than one of you uses the bus.
Yes, it's tough living on a low income. I think the bus company should allow people to pay by direct debit and/or the council should set up a scheme to help people spread the costs.

Report this post »

mimseycal says...
5:22pm Wed 25 Apr 12

Mayhaps, suggest it to the Greens.

However that does not address the high parking charges and the fact that those charges are held to have a negative impact on businesses and tourism.

Report this post »

Maxwell's Ghost says...
7:32pm Wed 25 Apr 12

I wonder if this pricing will eventually push the nice, working families out of the town to live in surrounding towns.
The schools are ropey in Brighton, the sports facilities poor and now it's becoming so expensive to live here, I am predicting normal families who can afford to sell up will just move on and we could end up with even more workless, unemployed, student people living here and not paying council tax or tax which could prove very, very costly to the minority who could remain here.
It's a dangerous social engineering game.

Report this post »

Old Ladys Gin says...
6:59pm Thu 26 Apr 12

Maxwell's Ghost wrote:
I wonder if this pricing will eventually push the nice, working families out of the town to live in surrounding towns.
The schools are ropey in Brighton, the sports facilities poor and now it's becoming so expensive to live here, I am predicting normal families who can afford to sell up will just move on and we could end up with even more workless, unemployed, student people living here and not paying council tax or tax which could prove very, very costly to the minority who could remain here.
It's a dangerous social engineering game.
'It's a dangerous social engineering game'.

The most apt comment on this thread.
Houses in Shoreham and other towns are selling like hot cakes and mostly to disaffected residents of Brighton.
Knock knock Town Hall, it is time to foresake the soapbox for real life.

Report this post »

notaconspiracy says...
12:39pm Mon 30 Apr 12

Brighton on the bus, these days, but only for an item or two. For a big shop (Xmas) we drive to Crawley, Eastbourne, or even Worthing.

That's the trouble with a one-issue political party, eh?

Report this post »

Joshiman says...
2:16pm Tue 1 May 12

It really is too late.Damage has already been done.The word has gone out that Brighton is expensive and always full of protestors.Reputatio
n ruined.

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree