Free for all parking that cost town £2 million

East Sussex County Council’s controversial pay-and-display street parking scheme came into effect in Eastbourne in October following a decision by the Department for Transport.

The scheme was due to be introduced last year but was put on hold following a legal challenge by opponents at Eastbourne Borough Council.

In the meantime, people complained of a parking free for all, with motorists leaving cars illegally without fear of being fined.

As part of a review of the lack of traffic enforcement within the town, Eastbourne Borough Council discovered 34,459 warning notices were issued to illegally parked cars from January to October.

It means county council parking chiefs have missed out on £2,067,540 in fines, had motorists been slapped with £60 tickets.

Even though the borough council opposed the new on-street parking charges, the report by its scrutiny committee reveals it could benefit the town.

Katie Armstrong, the council’s scrutiny coordinator, said: “It is clear from the comments made that the lack of parking enforcement has had a considerable impact on public transport, emergency service vehicles and taxis, as well as affecting businesses in the town centre and seafront hotels.

“The lack of enforcement has also allowed dangerous repeated and continuous parking at junctions, reducing visibility for both motorists and pedestrians.

“Ultimately, it was felt that the introduction of the scheme would be beneficial to many people, freeing the movement of traffic and potentially reducing taxi fares due to fewer badly and illegally parked vehicles, and there would be increased ability to have short stay parking in the town centre.”

The council’s scrutiny committee also recommended that money raised from parking fines is used to improve cycle lanes, motorcycle parking and pavements.

Eastbourne council, which will retain control of its car parks, has vowed to improve lighting and make the spaces more customer friendly.