Fears that parking charges will make town a no-go area Options

[GMR]

"Fears that parking charges will make town a no-go area," screams this weeks NWN. They say that Newbury could be closed for business because of on-street parking. But I think that West Berkshire has got their priorties right. There is more important things than businesses well being. For instance the money is needed to help pay the £1.84 million wage bill for the top 17 district councillors. So what if businesses go bankrupt or Newbury town centre becames a ghost town? Our duty (as tax payers) is to make sure that important people like Nick Carter earns and get their £175,860; after all they and the other top earners contribute more to our society than business men and women who are trying to service our community.

I am starting to think that they don't earn eough for what they do. Maybe we could target the poor and hard workers even more; after all, it is for a good cause.

[dannyboy]

I thought the idea was to stop parking outside of shops being hogged for hours on end & free up parking......30 mins free should be enough to conclude any business in a shop....


...of course there is also the argument that if you can't afford a few quid to park, that you are hardly going to make any retailer's day....

[motormad]

^ That is very true. An hour free parking in Newbury would easily suffice, 30 minutes at a push if you had to go in, to only go to one shop.
I can't remember the last time I was in a shop for more than 30 minutes.. But when I was, I think they offered me a red pill or a blue pill but I woke up in my car the next day with a strange tattoo.

Are you ever going to just get over the whole wage thing? It's only been 10 minutes and you're boring me already.
Our Duty as tax payers is to pay tax, not constantly bi*ch about it.

Something for your "invite-only" forum I suspect..

[newres]

I thought the idea was to stop parking outside of shops being hogged for hours on end & free up parking......30 mins free should be enough to conclude any business

Isn't that what we have now? I'm guessing that the retailers most affected by this are in and around Cheap Street/Bart Street. To have to pay to park buy a light bulb in Toomers will make a Toomers light bulb or a Hetherton's sandwich expensive.

[Andy Capp]

I thought the idea was to stop parking outside of shops being hogged for hours on end & free up parking......30 mins free should be enough to conclude any business in a shop....

Unless you need to pay a visit to the local Post Office too!

...of course there is also the argument that if you can't afford a few quid to park, that you are hardly going to make any retailer's day....

Which is the first steps to 'ethnic cleansing'! I always thought that the authorities ambition is to drive the low paid out of the town!

[blackdog]

I thought the idea was to stop parking outside of shops being hogged for hours on end & free up parking......30 mins free should be enough to conclude any business in a shop....

The idea is to raise money for WBC - every little bit helps ...

The parking charges effect two groups - those who enjoy and hour or free parking in Cheap St, 4 hours in Kings Road etc and will now only get 30 minutes - as you say this is enough to pop into a shop (Post Office excepted).

The other group are those who park for free all day in Newtown Road, Old Bath Road etc - these are the worst effected as they are probably facing an increase in expense of up to £20 a week just to get to work. Not so good for a shop assistant on minimum wage.

They should introduce similar charges in the roads around Vodafone - claw back some of the bonuses paid to their employees who are conning the system by pretending not to drive to work.

[dannyboy]

Isn't that what we have now? I'm guessing that the retailers most affected by this are in and around Cheap Street/Bart Street. To have to pay to park buy a light bulb in Toomers will make a Toomers light bulb or a Hetherton's sandwich expensive.

I was under the impression that under the to be introduced charges you get 30mins free....

[On the edge]

Either that or let Vodafone create an adequate car park for their employees so that they can cease the polluting and carbon eating private bus service they are forced to provide.

[dannyboy]

The idea is to raise money for WBC - every little bit helps ...

The parking charges effect two groups - those who enjoy and hour or free parking in Cheap St, 4 hours in Kings Road etc and will now only get 30 minutes - as you say this is enough to pop into a shop (Post Office excepted).

The other group are those who park for free all day in Newtown Road, Old Bath Road etc - these are the worst effected as they are probably facing an increase in expense of up to £20 a week just to get to work. Not so good for a shop assistant on minimum wage.

They should introduce similar charges in the roads around Vodafone - claw back some of the bonuses paid to their employees who are conning the system by pretending not to drive to work.

I was under the impression, reading this forum, that stopping parking on Newtown road was to be welcomed....I'd imagine the charges will be rolled out all over Newbury eventually.

[dannyboy]

I always thought that the authorities ambition is to drive the low paid out of the town!

I do hope so. Save me having to shop in Winchester & Windsor.

[motormad]

You go to Windsor to shop?

[dannyboy]

You go to Windsor to shop?

For some things. Nice place too.

[On the edge]

I was under the impression, reading this forum, that stopping parking on Newtown road was to be welcomed....I'd imagine the charges will be rolled out all over Newbury eventually.

I think it is. The vociferous objections seem to be coming from the village people who just want the ability to 'nip in for a natter, and then buy a sandwich' - so want to park by the side of the road for free. Its actually difficult to do that right now and ironically the scheme would help them. Why should they pay a cent to the upkeep of the town? Free loading has served them well for years! Its the same people who think a village pub is a commercial proposition which can survive on old Bill and his half pint and a packet of pork scratchings of an evening.

Does anyone care about the workers who need to park for long periods? Why should we, they are clearly an irrelevance. Otherwise, we'd have put in subsidised arrangements in the public car parks, and be ensuring a decent and adequate public transport provision was in place.

[Andy Capp]

Does anyone care about the workers who need to park for long periods? Why should we, they are clearly an irrelevance. Otherwise, we'd have put in subsidised arrangements in the public car parks, and be ensuring a decent and adequate public transport provision was in place.

That's it in a nutshell. On top of that, it seems like the low paid (and therefore their jobs) are being 'ethnically cleansed' from the town.

[Exhausted]

That's it in a nutshell. On top of that, it seems like the low paid (and therefore their jobs) are being 'ethnically cleansed' from the town.

I don't think park and ride is particularly an option in Newbury but it is perhaps something that the BID might be looking at, how to get their workers to the place of business as cheaply, for the workers as possible.

We need two areas, one southeast and one north of the town with an interconnecting bus service which runs through the town at say 8:45 and 9:30 and in the evening say 5:00 and 5:45.
The parking area is for people with passes to get in to park, supplied by the BID at a nominal charge, and a season ticket to use the bus paid by the worker.

I'm sure you can all think up twenty reasons why it won't work so what do you suggest we might do to ensure that the ethnic cleansing doesn't happen. It's no good suggesting they all bike in as Auntie Flo on the Camp Hopson cosmetic counter will want to arrive perfectly coiffured and without her makeup running.

[dannyboy]

economic cleansing surely?

[blackdog]

I'm sure you can all think up twenty reasons why it won't work ...

If a suitable site or two could be found at an affordable price it would be a good idea to have a park & ride aimed at those working in town - but it would need to operate over more hours. Many work shifts that start outside the 9 to 5 pattern or part time.

[blackdog]

I was under the impression, reading this forum, that stopping parking on Newtown road was to be welcomed....I'd imagine the charges will be rolled out all over Newbury eventually.

But they aren't stopping parking in Newtown Road - just charging for it.

[dannyboy]

But they aren't stopping parking in Newtown Road - just charging for it.

yes, but reading this thread 'no go area' etc , one would be lead to believe there will be no cars in the town.


In reality all it will mean is that folk will either find somewhere new to park for free, or will pay, but will opt to pay & park closer to where they work.

[motormad]

But they aren't stopping parking in Newtown Road - just charging for it.

And they shouldn't charge for it... It's tight and lame.