EX-COUNCIL leader Vikki Slade has spoken out against BCP’s handling of parking and tourism during the conurbation’s busiest weekends.

Following a weekend of parking chaos with more than 800 tickets issued in Bournemouth and a 0.1 per-cent uptake in the new Park and Ride, Cllr Vikki Slade has condemned the council’s management.

Despite the mayhem that ensued on the hottest weekend of the year so far, June 12 and June 13, the council has confirmed they received no official parking complaints.

BCP Council have in fact confirmed that they received no official complaints throughout the busiest weekends of the year so far.

The Daily Echo asked the council for the number of complaints received during the two May bank holiday weekends and the first two weekends of June.

The dates included early May bank holiday, April 30 up to and including May 3, Spring bank holiday, May 39 to May 31 as well as the first two weekends of this month from June 4 to June 6 and June 11 to June 13.

Ex-council leader and councillor for the Broadstone ward in Poole, Vikki Slade said: “The fact that there’s been no official complaints doesn’t mean that everyone’s happy.

“You’ve only got to look at all of the social media to see local people - who live here 365 days a year - and how angry and disappointed they are that there was a big promise about how different it was going to be this year and actually if you look at what they’re saying, why on earth did the council say it would be perfect when it was complete and utter chaos.

“800 people got parking tickets - big deal. They’re 30-quid and these people have come from London, they would pay £30 to park anyway.

“Everybody is going to get the message that as long as you’re prepared to get sent a ticket - which you may or may not pay - that it’s okay.”

Taking the weekend, June 11 to June 13, as a snapshot - 800 parking fines were distributed in Bournemouth and beachfront car parks were full by 10am across the conurbation.

The new park and ride at Kings Park welcomed 570 visitors over the entire weekend - while there were 400,000 visitors to Bournemouth.

“The other issue is that we have had two park and ride’s set-up and yes, 400 to 500 people used them but 400 people out of 400,000 - I hardly call that a success.

“What are they doing to not encourage people to use the park and ride, but to actually go much further than encouragement - signpost people and say there is no access to parking at the beach, you must use the park and ride.

“Otherwise people will always choose to park close to the beach, if you’ve got half-a-dozen kids and you’re given the choice - you’ll go near the beach.

“The staff did a great job, the traffic wardens were brilliant, however what I’m really unhappy about is the over-promising and how it was all going to be fantastic.

“The reason there were probably no formal complaints is because they know it won’t make a blind bit of difference so they might as well not bother."

A BCP Council spokesperson said: "BCP Council has anticipated and recognised the increased demand for parking as a result of staycations and we are doing what we can to accommodate everyone wants to visit our multi award winning seafront this summer. 

"We have established a park and ride, developed a Beach App and are continually improving our signage and communications to enhance the visitor experience. For example, in regard to Bournemouth Town Centre we have noted that some of our inland car parks such as Richmond Gardens Multistorey, Avenue Road and Cotlands Road Car Park have had capacity during busy weekends and as such are currently working how to better inform people of their availability and the opportunity to park and stroll to the beach, shops and restaurants. 

"In terms of managing complaints about irresponsible parking the Council is continuing to recruit more enforcement officers, increasing towaway capacity and undertaking a review of further potential enforcement measures to encourage better behaviour."