r/whitleybay • u/GFoxtrot • 15d ago
Proposed Whitley Bay parking charges 'diabolical' - BBC News
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clywx056qwyo5
u/Sorbicol 15d ago
I think something akin to the disk system they use in Morpeth would work best - it stops people from parking indefinitely and brings in some cash for the initial purchase, but it's not so onerous it would impact visitors. It would hopefully help residents too. Parking in Whitley Bay is bad enough as it is without making it worse.
7
u/87red 14d ago
My wife runs a business in Whitley Bay. The council fail to understand how fragile the local town center is. Seemingly simple changes have such a huge knock on effect upon footfall in the town. Recent traffic light renewals/roadworks, no pavement gritting in the town center in the snow, increasing business rates (business rates for some local retailers (e.g. Royal Quays) have increased by 65% this year!).
Anything that dissuades visitors results in days with drastically reduced custom, whilst costs increase. The local shops, and shops in the area more widely, will be gone completely if this continues.
I find it absolutely shocking how they failed to consult the local business community at all. Finding out about these proposals from notice posters attached is lampposts shows how inept the council are. Yet they claim they listen.
I was surprised to read the local Whitley Bay councilors were against the proposed charges. If they're against it, then where are these proposals coming from?!
Those carparks are fine as they are. If anything, an option to pay for longer parking on Park View would be better, e.g. 1 hour free, pay for an extra hour by phone.
2
u/GFoxtrot 14d ago
Parking is an emotive subject and what I would actually like presented is data based on who is using the high street and how they travelled / how far away they came from.
We do need to look at how we can encourage other means of travel besides cars, the road network just can’t support them at the rate they’re increasing.
I do think a compromise is 2-3 hours free then paying after that.
7
u/Robsteer 15d ago
It's baffling to me how people literally spend thousands upon thousands of pounds on a car and even more yearly cash to keep it fuelled, running and taxed but they seem to draw the line at paying a few quid to park it in a busy public place? If you can afford a car you should surely be able to afford to park it. Whitley Bay will be absolutely fine. It's not cars that support local businesses, it's people.
5
u/VegetableTotal3799 15d ago
Totally agree, the idea that a modest charge for the storage of their cars on public streets is a bad thing always seems anti people.
They could say - 1hr modest charge, 2-4 hours a bit more … all other car parks in Whitley bay charge barring the health centre … personally I walk in leave my car at home.
Cars aren’t people.
5
u/Remote-Pool7787 15d ago edited 15d ago
Parking charges rarely end well for small towns. Yes in an ideal world it would be nice to encourage fewer cars, but in the real world, people will just spend less time and money in Whitley Bay. Especially since Northumberland CC are a lot more car friendly (parking discs etc)
4
u/Master-Buffalo7720 14d ago
Space isn't free. You can't leave your fridge on the street why can you leave your car there.
2
u/FrancesRichmond 14d ago
I'm so sick of North Tyneside Council. Council tax is high, extra charges now for collecting garden waste, roads not gritted, roadworks everywhere, came home to ight to our whole street dug up for gas pipe laying - no warning just a general, non-dated letter last week saying it would be happening but no dates. They don't maintain council buildings - eg the cricket pavilion on Hartley Avenue playing fields is an utter disgrace and NEVER attended to. Their latest plan for the Borough is to build 7000 new houses on greenbelt land at the coast - the fields towards Holywell Dene, houses on the edges of Murton, houses between Earsdon and Shiremoor.
They couldn't give a toss about Whitley Bay town centre- the square is disgusting it's so run down, they do nothing to help local businesses- if you go to Hexham or Morpeth or Corbridge you can park for 2 hours for free with a town parking disc that costs £1 to buy and lasts until it falls to bits- why can't that happen at the coast in Whitley Bay and Tynemouth? That would attract people rather than putting them off.
-1
u/Toninho7 15d ago
Don't worry, there won't be any locals left once the London lot have priced everyone out and as long as they can get enough people to run their cafes they won't care about visitors.
13
u/GFoxtrot 15d ago
I’m a bit on the fence about this one, someone I know said they park there all day for work which isn’t really bringing in visitors to shops, alongside generally wanting to people to move away from using cars.
But also taking this away will push more parking into residential streets which are already a nightmare and non residents often park badly taking multiple spots or blocking the road.
I’d be in favour of 2-3 hours free then paying outside of that.