UPDATED: Parking in Bournemouth's parks to stay free - for now

UPDATED: Parking in Bournemouth's parks to stay free - for now UPDATED: Parking in Bournemouth's parks to stay free - for now

PROPOSALS for parking restrictions and charges in Bournemouth's parks could be amended before the public is asked for its views.

Plans to charge for free spaces in Bournemouth's parks.

The council's economy and tourism panel considered various options for Meyrick Park, Kings Park, Queens Park, Slades Farm and Solent Meads amid concerns that free car parks are being abused by workers, football fans, school-run parents and other non-park users.

Different solutions were discussed for each location. In both Queens Park car parks the recommendation was to restrict free parking to two hours and install parking meters for anyone wishing to stay longer.

At Meyrick Park the suggestion was a time restriction of four hours during the working week and at Slades Farm the suggestion was to restrict free parking to three hours between Monday and Friday.

At Solent Meads the proposal was to have one hour's worth of free parking in half the car park and allocate the remaining half to golfers. Meters could also be installed there.

In Kings Park the suggestion was to enforce no parking areas and double yellow lines and allocate some parking areas for permit holders only.

Chairman Bob Chapman said: “The sole reason for this report is to look at issues where people are having difficulty in gaining access to certain activities in parks because of all-day parking.”

Cllr Ian Lancashire, who led the task and finish public parks review group, said: “Parks are becoming massive public car parks; these issues need to be tackled.”

But Cllr Sue Levell voiced fears that two hours free parking in Queen's Park was not enough time for elderly residents, adding: “There is no overall consistency.”

Cllr Mark Anderson said he had concerns about the Queen's Park proposals; adding: “It is a balancing act and I am rather concerned about just one hour's free parking at Solent Meads.”

Cllr Lancashire said the suggestions would be looked at again, in light of concerns raised, before being put out to public consultation.

Comments(18)

Dr Strangelove says...
8:20pm Tue 5 Feb 13

Yes but how much have they sneaked up residents parking charges each year. A letter to Mr Pickles is needed as these are exactly the type of stealth taxes he is talking about.

Wageslave says...
8:27pm Tue 5 Feb 13

The best way to raise loads of money is to fine the motorists who block the yellow box markings around Castlepoint.Apparent
ly all money goes into the same pot.

Apb1964 says...
11:10pm Tue 5 Feb 13

Just boycot the town centre on mass for a week, that will teach them, the joke is the roads belong to us all, the council are there only to look after them on our behalf! So we as citizens are being charged to park on our own land!

Bob49 says...
11:20pm Tue 5 Feb 13

"So we as citizens are being charged to park on our own land!"

or the roads are being freed up for use by all locals, NOT outside commuters who take up the space ALL day

charging is used EVERYWHERE else to regulate 'fair' usage so the quicker we can bring in a system that returns parks to the locals the better

Phixer says...
4:56am Wed 6 Feb 13

Bob49 wrote:
"So we as citizens are being charged to park on our own land!"

or the roads are being freed up for use by all locals, NOT outside commuters who take up the space ALL day

charging is used EVERYWHERE else to regulate 'fair' usage so the quicker we can bring in a system that returns parks to the locals the better
Ah, some lateral thinking - not. Charge for everything to 'regulate' the masses.

How about a charge to walk in the park? How about a charge to take a dog into a public space? How about a charge to cycle along the prom - we already have to pay to walk on 'our' pier?

Like it or not 'outside commuters' also contribute to BBC funds through general taxation as well as financing local businesses - which are taxed.

Parking problems wouldn't exist without misguided 'green' parking policies which have done nothing but blight neighbourhoods and public areas.

EGHH says...
6:56am Wed 6 Feb 13

I went into Bournemouth Monday lunchtime. The Richmond Hill car park was virtually empty, in the past it was nearly impossible to park. The shopping area was like a Sunday. The Council is killing the town. Disgraceful.

Talkingheadera says...
7:21am Wed 6 Feb 13

Phixer wrote:
Bob49 wrote:
"So we as citizens are being charged to park on our own land!"

or the roads are being freed up for use by all locals, NOT outside commuters who take up the space ALL day

charging is used EVERYWHERE else to regulate 'fair' usage so the quicker we can bring in a system that returns parks to the locals the better
Ah, some lateral thinking - not. Charge for everything to 'regulate' the masses.

How about a charge to walk in the park? How about a charge to take a dog into a public space? How about a charge to cycle along the prom - we already have to pay to walk on 'our' pier?

Like it or not 'outside commuters' also contribute to BBC funds through general taxation as well as financing local businesses - which are taxed.

Parking problems wouldn't exist without misguided 'green' parking policies which have done nothing but blight neighbourhoods and public areas.
Well said

Lord Spring says...
8:44am Wed 6 Feb 13

The point that everyone is missing is that the car is dominating the world and has ruined it,

l'anglais says...
9:52am Wed 6 Feb 13

Bob49 wrote:
"So we as citizens are being charged to park on our own land!"

or the roads are being freed up for use by all locals, NOT outside commuters who take up the space ALL day

charging is used EVERYWHERE else to regulate 'fair' usage so the quicker we can bring in a system that returns parks to the locals the better
It's not the locals land or the locals that pay the majority of Tax to maintain the Parks or the roads.
Council Tax pays for 20% of the Council's budget.
80% comes from the National Exchequer.

So to my reckoning the Roads and Parks are for all, not just the Xenophobic local inbred.

rayc says...
10:03am Wed 6 Feb 13

Lord Spring wrote:
The point that everyone is missing is that the car is dominating the world and has ruined it,
It is the car ownership and the taxes imposed on it that have rebuilt Europe since the war. During the fuel protests Tony Blair went to great pains to explain that vehicle taxes paid for schools, hospitals and other vital services.
The car has freed up the masses to travel independently, perhaps that is what those opposed to car ownership object to.

Hessenford says...
10:16am Wed 6 Feb 13

EGHH wrote:
I went into Bournemouth Monday lunchtime. The Richmond Hill car park was virtually empty, in the past it was nearly impossible to park. The shopping area was like a Sunday. The Council is killing the town. Disgraceful.
That's why the council want to take away the free parking, to drive everyone into the town carpark's to raise even more revenue, that's their main concern, not this pretence of freeing up carpark's for so called genuine users.

speedy231278 says...
10:26am Wed 6 Feb 13

About time they reduced the cost of parking everywhere else. People vote with their feet. For a year, I had a pass for the NCP on Richmond Hill through my employer. The business rate on this space was frightening, but roughly the same as the absurd all but £1200 the council charged at the time for Richmond Gardens for the year. The public annual rate for the NCP was the best part of £2500!! Funnily enough, it was usually 25% occupied at absolute best, and the minimum fee was about £4. The council dropped the annual fee for Richmond Gardens to £800 a while back, and removed the condition that you park on the roof only (which they didn't tell you until AFTER you paid, and sent you further terms and conditions in addition to those on the agreement signed when paying which is surely illegal!), and lo and behold, people started buying the annual passes. At £1200, our car at the time was virtually the only one that had one, now there are a good number.

If the council keep battering motorists on parking, they'll visit other places instead, and even less money will come in to town, and even more shops will shut. Exactly the same happened in a major shopping area where my parents live. Parking went up dramatically after the council opened a park and ride two miles out of town. It was, and still is, virtually deserted as no-one will drive two miles out the way to get a slow, smelly bus back and pay through the nose, nor pay through the nose for parking in town. Result, the new shopping centre stands more empty than not, the best part of a decade after they opened it...!

Hessenford says...
10:32am Wed 6 Feb 13

Lord Spring wrote:
The point that everyone is missing is that the car is dominating the world and has ruined it,
The motorist is hammered by taxes where ever he or she goes through VED, fuel duty and extortionate parking charges.
God knows what our council tax bills would be without the motorist being ripped off at every turn and god knows where this country would be without the billions paid by motorists to the government.
Far from ruining the world the car has provided mass funding to make it a better place.
You will be the first to complain when the motorist can no longer afford to pay all these taxes and it falls on the rest of the people to make up the short fall.
The chancellor has already complained that fuel duty alone was 2 billions short last year, I wonder why that could be.
The government and local councils profess that they want people out of cars onto alternative transport but they don't tell us how the lost revenue would be recuperated.
Around £30 billion is raised in fuel duty alone each year and that does not include VAT, a further £6 billion in vehicle excise duty, that goes a long way to reducing your tax bill every year so don't knock the car too much as you may regret it later when your tax goes through the roof.

Lord Spring says...
10:47am Wed 6 Feb 13

And is the world a better place ?

It just proves that the car dominates if we have to depend on it to raise taxation

Hessenford says...
10:51am Wed 6 Feb 13

Lord Spring wrote:
And is the world a better place ?

It just proves that the car dominates if we have to depend on it to raise taxation
It's not you that depends on it, but the government does, the motorist has been used as a cash cow for years to keep your tax down so when that money reduces as cars become less affordable to run you and others are in for a reality check.

rayc says...
11:24am Wed 6 Feb 13

Lord Spring wrote:
And is the world a better place ?

It just proves that the car dominates if we have to depend on it to raise taxation
Yes the world, and specifically Europe, is a better place than it was at the end of the war.

Phixer says...
4:33pm Wed 6 Feb 13

Lord Spring wrote:
The point that everyone is missing is that the car is dominating the world and has ruined it,
and your considered response to that piece of wisdom is what, exactly?

Go back to the horse and cart? That'll put the 'greens' in a quandry. Environmentally friendly transport. But wait, I hear you say, what about all that greenhouse gas caused by horse flatulence?

And how will Eff'n safety cope with the danger of sitting behind an animal in a cart with no brakes or seat belts?

Lord Spring says...
4:53pm Wed 6 Feb 13

Horse manure goes well on strawberrys and rhubarb, cars can not replicate that.

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