Northcroft Leisure Centre Parking, Parking charges Options

[suew]

If you are as angry as I am about the new parking charges in Goldwell Park, please join me in complaining to West Berks Council, and ask them for an extension of the three hours free parking for the Leisure Centre to be extended to this car park so that all users of the Leisure Centre can benefit from it, and not just those lucky enough to be able to use it at less busy times.

If you are a member of the Leisure Centre, the new charges make it as expensive as the private clubs with decent showers, nicer changing rooms, but free parking.

Please complain - I have, and so far have only received as a reply a detailed explanation of the new charges, and notice that soon the Northcroft car park will only accept payment by mobile phone as well!

[GMR]

My daughter used the facilities there when it was free.

It is all about making money.

[spartacus]

It is all about making money.

Rubbish! (Although it DOES help the world go round....) It was more about making sure people didn't take the pi$$ wasn't it?....

Three hours is a pretty long time to spend in a leisure centre surely? Most people using the centre would be able to have a game of squash/kickabout/swim session, shower afterwards and perhaps use the cafe facility and STILL be back to their car within a couple of hours.....

Those people who were using the area as an all day free car park while they worked in town however will now have to look elsewhere......

Everyone's complaining about lack of parking! What was happening was that genuine visitors to the Centre couldn't get parked up......
Perhaps you need to complain to Parkwood Leisure who administer/manage the centre?

[user23]

Parkwood Leisure manage Northcroft don't they?

Here's their website contact details page.

What are you doing in the leisure centre that takes longer than three hours though?

[bill b]

"Suew" is absolutely correct. These parking charges were only introduced to give the CEOs more opportunity to issue fines and help reduce the huge deficit in the car parking budget. I complained to no avail before they were applied.

Yes there was a problem with office staff using it for long term parking but this could have been resolved with a 3 hours maximum stay on its own, thus not incurring the expense of the installation of new parking machines and extra barriers to stop people parking on the grass.

Three hours is a pretty long time to spend in a leisure centre surely? Most people using the centre would be able to have a game of squash/kickabout/swim session, shower afterwards and perhaps use the cafe facility and STILL be back to their car within a couple of hours.....

"Suews" main complaint is that when the centre is busy you do not get 3 hours free parking if you have to park in the car park across the road by the childrens playground.

[Bloggo]

Please complain - I have, and so far have only received as a reply a detailed explanation of the new charges, and notice that soon the Northcroft car park will only accept payment by mobile phone as well!

What about those drivers who don't actually have a mobile phone. This is discriminitive.
If it's not to difficult to explain simply, how do you pay with a mobile phone.

[blackdog]

Parkwood Leisure manage Northcroft don't they?

Here's their website contact details page.

What are you doing in the leisure centre that takes longer than three hours though?

Parkwood Leisure have nothing to do with the parking charges in Goldwell Park - which is what the OP is complaining about.

Nor is he suggesting that he is staying in the centre for more than three hours - just that he now has to pay for every hour spent in the centre if the Northcroft Park parking around the centre is full.

A three hour limit would prevent people using Goldwell as a park while they are at work, the decision to implement payment from the first minute must surely be about revenue collection. Of course, it may well be a disincentive for people to use the Leisure Centre - which will help WBC if they pursue their proposal to demolish all but the swimming pools and relocate Speenhamland School to the site.

Mind you he did infer that the charges were something fresh - whereas they must have been in place for a fair few months.

[Iommi]

What about those drivers who don't actually have a mobile phone. This is discriminitive. If it's not to difficult to explain simply, how do you pay with a mobile phone.

You'd dial a number and provide details, maybe by text or voice. You will be charged for the call which would include the cost of parking. Isn't modern technology brilliant!

[Strafin]

You pay extra for the call I think....

[suew]

"Suew" is absolutely correct. These parking charges were only introduced to give the CEOs more opportunity to issue fines and help reduce the huge deficit in the car parking budget. I complained to no avail before they were applied.

Yes there was a problem with office staff using it for long term parking but this could have been resolved with a 3 hours maximum stay on its own, thus not incurring the expense of the installation of new parking machines and extra barriers to stop people parking on the grass.



"Suews" main complaint is that when the centre is busy you do not get 3 hours free parking if you have to park in the car park across the road by the childrens playground.

Thank you, yes it is, three hours is plenty. Apparently the council are reconsidering at the moment, and may give three hours parking in Goldwell as well, up to the members, they have also agreed to reduce the number of disabled places outside Northcroft which will free up a few more spaces

[blackdog]

Thank you, yes it is, three hours is plenty. Apparently the council are reconsidering at the moment, and may give three hours parking in Goldwell as well, up to the members, they have also agreed to reduce the number of disabled places outside Northcroft which will free up a few more spaces

Perhaps it is also worth noting that the car park in Goldwell was a temporary car park established while Northcroft was being extended. It was supposed to have been returned to parkland when the building work was completed. All those advocating a temporary waste recycling site in Victoria park, please take note.