A map showing the areas which will be made subject to the new charges

Pay-and-display residents’ permits ‘grossly unfair’...

Report by Alex Evans, Reporter Monday, April 30, 2012
8:00 AM

WESTON motorists living on town centre streets will have to pay a yearly fee for just two hours of parking a day outside their homes under conditions of the council’s new pay-and-display scheme.

Last week, North Somerset Council decided to introduce pay-and-display charges for 27 streets in Weston.

The charges, set to be introduced in September, will see drivers pay £1.20 per hour for a maximum stay of two hours.

Charges will apply from 9am-6pm Monday-Saturday, mirroring the current limited waiting restrictions.

People who live in the affected streets will be able to buy a permit to park in the bays for £62 a year – but the money will only provide two hours’ free parking per day in the bays.

Holders of permits will get one hour free in the morning, from 9-10am, and one hour in the evening, from 5-6pm.

It means residents will be able to leave cars in their bays overnight but have to move them into non-charged streets between 10am-5pm if they are at home – or pay again during the day.

Brian Sheldrake, of Palmer Row, said: “The whole thing is a total and utter shambles. It assumes everybody in the town centre is working.

“Some people are ill, some people are retired or don’t work. I think it is grossly unfair on residents.

“The whole thing seems to be geared towards providing two-hour parking for shoppers.”

Cllr John Crockford-Hawley said the scheme will not work until the council takes on the responsibility for policing illegal parking on double yellow lines.

He said: “Not addressing the issue is going to be a fundamental problem to the scheme.

“North Somerset Council is the only authority in this part of England which refuses to adopt responsibility for yellow lines as well.”

Cllr Mike Bell said: “Elfan Ap Rees doesn’t believe that civil enforcement is a good idea, so it isn’t going to happen.”

He went on to say that two issues in particular need to be raised when a consultation is held with the public this summer.

He added: “I think we need to make the strongest possible case. I think we have got to be arguing for lower hourly rates and I also think we need to do something about the effect on surrounding areas.”

23 comments

Neptune, this isn't about common sense, it's about legislation. The council can't simply appoint traffic wardens, currently the only organisation that can do that is the Police. For the council to enforce there has to be pay and display.

Report this comment

2Phat

Saturday, May 5, 2012
Now tell me, what is the point, an article appears in an on-line paper, one I may add does nothing to support this town, just likes to sell print, and we, those that care, give positive comments and no one takes a blind bit of notice, no one that has the power of change that is. Why is there not a forum that we and those elected can discuss solutions to questions?

Report this comment

Neptune

Thursday, May 3, 2012
Thanks T Bone, we are on the same wavelength! My point about monitoring the Pay & Display ticket needs a human to visually check compliance and no overstaying the time purchased, well, if we currently had councillors with an ounce of common sense, they would realise that if we placed Wardens of some sort on the streets NOW to monitor the current parking, then we wouldnt need machines and tickets would we? As the signage of parking limits and issuing of penalties for those contravening these would sort the problems and bring in revenue. What I find a farce is that residents shall only have a 2 hour window to park outside their homes AND have to pay for the priviledge on top of their council tax. Why do we not adopt a system like in Harrogate (and no doubt like many other wise thinking towns), where the residents are allocated limited scratch card booklets per household, that can be used in their zoned areas close to their homes for the 8am - 6pm periods. If they require more books, they pay. This seems fairer and may need tweaking, however also would need to be monitored. All other parkers have to stick to the limit. Indeed in Harrogate all residents have a disabled type of card clock that allows them to park for limited periods in these zones, and the out of townies or visitors have to pay & display a ticket. At least this system is fairer on the residents of the zones, the other tax paying residents from around the town. Although I guess Ap Rees would see this as another opportunity to rip off the visitors as reported inthe recent survey!

Report this comment

TrueWestonian

Wednesday, May 2, 2012
2Phat, i think that TrueWestonian and myself along with most other people i talk too, agree that the idea is good in general. I think its the 'residents' 2hr restriction that needs looking into :)

Report this comment

T-Bone

Wednesday, May 2, 2012
TrueWestonian, I don't understand why the 2 hr limit is a farce. It's one hour more than available currently. Read the council's report which was linked to from a previous article - this is all about allowing the council to enforce instead of the Police and the pay and display is the only way that can happen. I genuinely think this scheme makes sense.

Report this comment

2Phat

Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Something does need to be done, but the 2 hr idea is a farce. NO SYSTEM will work unless policed or enforcement is introduced. Unfortunately because the like of Ap Rees living in cuckoo land, we certainly aint going to go forward here. To prove a point, I would encourage businesses and residents involved with this issue to immediately start reporting those flouting the current rules to phone the new 27 7 Police number and if greeted with a response of It not being their problem, then report the council to the Police for not doing anything about it! Alternatively keep phoning or reporting issues to block the Councils phonelines, or e mail them which costs nothing. Im NOT inticing civil disorder here, but we all have rights as Council tax payers to expect, so much better than these nerds are currently giving us!

Report this comment

TrueWestonian

Monday, April 30, 2012
The pay and display is the fairest idea to give everyone a chance of finding a space to park...but then i do think the 2hr resident pass is barmy.

Report this comment

T-Bone

Monday, April 30, 2012
It seems odd that on nsc's web site, when talking about restricted parking they say "While we set up and maintain these areas – usually marked by yellow lines or road signs - the police are responsible for enforcing the rules and issuing parking tickets." So, does that mean if there is a nuisance parking issue the Police should be called to deal with it? Just wondered.

Report this comment

Neptune

Monday, April 30, 2012
It seems odd that on NSC's web site:- http:www.n-somerset.gov.ukTransportParking+and+access when talking about restricted parking they say "While we set up and maintain these areas – usually marked by yellow lines or road signs - the police are responsible for enforcing the rules and issuing parking tickets." So, does that mean if there is a nuisance parking issue the Police should be called to deal with it? Just wondered.

Report this comment

Neptune

Monday, April 30, 2012
since when has nsc done anything thats fair for residents ..... we already suffer with people parking in private bays where we live and so called delivery vans blocking the road this is just going to compound the problems

Report this comment

gruf69

Monday, April 30, 2012
lets see how long it is before the council are bogged down with complaints from people living on non restricted streets about over parking @anne adapter nice selfish attitude not everyone can afford a house with garage or driveway people on alfred court which is privt parking are already getting problems with people parking in resident bays and parking on the double yellow lines and its just going to get worse

Report this comment

gruf69

Monday, April 30, 2012
Shouldn't that be, "some park 247 as they're selfish and ignore the restrictions"...?

Report this comment

2Phat

Monday, April 30, 2012
Some park 247 as there are no parking wardens employed by NSC to stop them!

Report this comment

DA

Monday, April 30, 2012
_I just can't believe that anyone on North Somerset Council has any interest in the residents that they serve in Weston -No wonder the shops are all closing down- and - What about those of us who work shifts....

Report this comment

mrfrostie

Monday, April 30, 2012
Current system is one hour limit with no permits. Residents (and Mike Bell) need to wake up and smell the cheese.

Report this comment

2Phat

Monday, April 30, 2012
To someone in the know, what is the current parking system for residents in the 27 streets outlined above?

Report this comment

Mukiwa

Monday, April 30, 2012
If you choose to live in a house with no driveway and limited parking outside then I don't see the problem with parking permits. However the 2hour rule is stupid.

Report this comment

anne adaptor

Monday, April 30, 2012
I guess the £62 fee for the parking permit works out at £1 per week x 52 and £10 for the disc! So if a householder has two vehicles the cost will double.

Report this comment

DA

Monday, April 30, 2012
Civil Enforcement is obviously the correct solution to the Town Centre Parking problems, but because the Mad King of North Somerset and his minions can't see sense we all have to suffer.

Report this comment

Aginoth

Monday, April 30, 2012
This is such a joke, the council supposedly are supporting business in the town centre (remember their unsuccessful attempt to block Frankie n Bennies Restaurant from going on the Flowerdown Retail Park as they said it would harm town centre business), yet rather than enforce the current parking system which has worked well for years, they decide to make lives difficult for residents who live there and ultimately put off potential shoppers from going into town. I personally don't enjoy going into the town centre as parking costs money and I would much rather visit one of the retail estates for my purchases, and this just compounds my view.

Report this comment

matstone99

Monday, April 30, 2012
Censorship gone mad.

Report this comment

Weston2010

Monday, April 30, 2012
test

Report this comment

Weston2010

Monday, April 30, 2012
...'ear!...you're gonna have to pay to park in your own drive-way soon!!!...don't laugh-we do up here!!!..

Report this comment

fraserzzz

Monday, April 30, 2012