>> Also speed humps are still growing fast, >>
Crumbs, if they grow any more, we'll never be able to drive over them!
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It's not just Basingstoke. Add Windsor, Slough, Maidenhead, Brixham and Luton to the list. The government have put more and more demands on the local councils which is part of the reason for the large council tax increases. These are not popular and so they are looking for new money making schemes. Kerching.
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Yep, I was at a conference a couple of weeks ago where Ken Livingstone was saying that 97% of the tax take comes through central government - A higher figure than in russia under communism apparently. Leaves local government scrambling around trying to balance the books.
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This is where the motorist's friend (France) wins again. Although charging seems common enough in touristy areas, it's still dirt cheap. They don't charge between 12.00 and 14.00 either, when everyone is supposed to be having lunch !
In lesser tourist infested spots parking is very often free.
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I really think British motorists are having the proverbial taken out of them with parking charges. In Evesham we now have to pay to park on some rough ground outside our temporary health centre which is nowhere near any shops etc! And as for hospitals charging up to £2 an hour............
We spent 16 days touring the southern part of France last summer and had to pay to park only once (in Avignon, and if I could have been bothered there was e free car park nearby). I wonder what foreign tourists make of Britain and its parking charges, having to cough up a few quid possibly several times a day? It can be £7 or more to park on beach car parks in the West Country regrdles of how long you stay.
The British motorist is rapidly becoming the mug of Europe in my opinion.
Grrr
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In Luton you have to pay to park outside the police station. Crime does not pay. Unless you are a local council.
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I despair of this country.
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In Chester, parking is fairly expensive (and in competition with free parking at Cheshire Oaks Outlet Village and the Trafford Centre) and last year use of the car parks dropped. The city council's solution is to increase the charges, in order to make up for the revenue shortfall! And they're surprised how many empty shops there are in the city centre.
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And they're surprised how many empty shops there are in the city centre.
Good point. When I lived in Slough, I would often drive to Windsor to visit Waitrose, and other shops, as I could park for free in the back streets. Then the fascist parking regime started, and well, I stopped going to Windsor. Public transport? Don't make me laff. Aren't councils supposed to serve the business community?
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Just been reminded of my pet hate parking charge. Eastbourne has put charges on car parks....rough ground in many places...at places of outstanding natural beauty ...........ie the downs. this they say is to cover maintainance. This in my opinion stinks. You work all year and pay your taxes and you can't even enjoy the country side without some council wanting to make a few quid out of you. Now what were free spaces on the seafront are spouting meters. Guess which town won't be seeing me this summer.
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You have to wonder about the IQ of people running local councils. They give planning permission to out of town developments of superstores, who provide free parking for their customers. They put the rates up for high street businesses, and charge for parking in the town.
Then they wonder why the town centre is in decline, and shops are empty. And their only response is to increase the parking charges again. Have they ever wondered why Tesco is so profitable, but can afford to let customers park for free? Can't their tiny minds work out a glimmer of a connection there?
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Eastbourne has put charges on car parks....
Worthing has done something very similar, although in our case the dirty work has been subcontracted out to a nationwide car park operator. There is a car park next to the beach in Sea Lane in Goring, which is a pretty enough spot but some way out of the town centre, and normally pretty quiet (at least in comparison with e.g. Brighton). This has been lavishly decorated with garish signs which state that the charges are £1.20 per hour (!!!?!?) and apply 24/7 all year round. When you consider that most of what you might term the target market are going to be staying all day, that means you're looking at better than a tenner to park for your day at the seaside. The part that gets me is the 24h thing: why on earth is it necessary to charge for parking 24 hours a day? Well, it's not, is it. It's just greed, pure and simple.
The signs also state that motorcyclists have to pay the same as anyone else, although helpful suggestions as to where one is supposed to place the non-adhesive ticket on a bike (especially one like mine that has no fairings) are notable by their absence. Genius. Presumably I am expected to buy a second tax-disc holder for the purpose?
Oddly enough, the car park is usually almost empty and everyone parks on the road outside and in neighbouring residential streets. What price the introduction of a residents' permit scheme in the next few months?
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In Chester parking is fairly expensive (and in competition with free parking at Cheshire Oaks Outlet Village and the Trafford Centre) and last year use of the car parks dropped. The city council's solution is to increase the charges in order to make up for the revenue shortfall! And they're surprised how many empty shops there are in the city centre.
Chester has a very cheap and efficient park and ride service though. Could this be the reason for the increase in charges in the city centre? Cheshire Oaks is popular primarily because the gear they sell is perceived to be cheap. No sane person would go there for fun.
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Greetings Chester experts! I have to say, and I am as ever at the risk of contradicting myself, that I do actually don't mind using the Chester Park and Ride. Coming from the Nantwich direction, it's easy to use, and cheap, and let's face it Chester is not designed for cars!
Re: Cheshire Oaks, ah yes it's hell on earth....... but if you're not bothered about wearing last season's Diesel (that's a clothes not a motoring reference) and you're a skinflint (yes for me on both counts) then it's a necessary evil every six months.
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Or even, "I don't actually mind using...". Jeez.... my grammar.
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I wonder what foreign tourists make of Britainand its parking charges having to cough up a few quid possibly several times a day? It can be £7 or more to park on beach car parks in the West Country regrdles of how long you stay.
I wonder what foreign tourists make of Britain in general, let alone parking issues!!!!
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It's not just the UK.
Last time I was in southern california, I had to pay to park my car in the hotel car park - and this wasn't a city hotel, this was an out of town 'resort' hotel. It wasn't valet parking either. I won't be staying there next time.
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What's with all the positive view on Park & Ride?
If I'm planning on going on a mega full day shopping extravaganza in a town I'd think about it - never done it yet though. If I want to pop in to town to buy one item, be it a pair of pants, camera, DVD or whatever - am I really going to mess about with a park and bus system? I've got a life to get on with.
I just drive on until I find a town that lets me park close to where I want to be for 30 mins or so.
I wonder what Cambridge is like? I've never been there. Never had the time.
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What's with all the positive view on Park & Ride?
Um, maybe it works pretty well.
If I'm planning on going on a mega full day shopping extravaganza in a town I'd think about it - never done it yet though. If I want to pop in to town to buy one item be it a pair of pants camera DVD or whatever - am I really going to mess about with a park and bus system? I've got a life to get on with.
That convenience will cost you, in parking fees, or fuel to the next town. I must be busier than you; I don't have time to make lots of single item trips.
;-)
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Coming from Cambridge originally, obviously not a present day resident, I can comment on the state of that city from my increasingly infrequent visits - impossible parking, huge queues to enter the centre, foreign tourists a plenty (nearly outnumbered by parking wardens) charges to enter Kings college chapel, very expensive cafes/restaurants and managed (poorly) pubs.
Could be just my opinion - friends and family have frequently referred to me as an alien!
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I have used Park & Ride once (Kingston). It's better than using the bus (what isn't?), but going to and fro with all the Xmas shopping was just too much hassle. And if you ventured into the Kingston car parks you would queue for ages. Bluewater all the time now, even though it's further.
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I live in Durham, where the anti-car mentality is really getting revved up. Our park and ride scheme is daft - creating congestion by putting bus lanes everywhere and then the park and ride is supposed to justify them?
Plus - the Park and ride schemes are about 1 mile from the centre - so you need your car to get to the park and ride - you may as well carry on and find a parking space! A lot of Durham traffic seems to be passing through rather than actually wanting to stop in the centre.
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Baskerville, maybe I didn't type quite what I was meaning. I'm not daft enough to drive miles to buy one small thing. I was thinking of my working day when say I have half an hour or so between appointments and remember I need to pop into a bank or get that "item" in Argos or Smiths. The time taken to get into an anti-car and consequently difficult shopping area and all the ensuing hassle just stops me from doing it.
I'll leave it until I find somewhere more convenient * *, do without or wait until a bigger shopping expedition.
* * (This is where they they get one pound of my seven, I visit a Tesco store.)
Mind you, these are all becoming less frequent now, what with a mouse click, a cheaper price and then the postman knocking on the door a few days later.
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Cliff Pope : You have to wonder about the IQ of people running local councils. ... Then they wonder why the town centre is in decline, and shops are empty.
To be fair I am sure this is due to central government tinkering and cash strapped councils. It is ironic that New Labour boasted about joined up government, and then along comes Gordon Brown and centralised control with no thought as to unintended consequences. So we all prefer to drive further to out of town places with free parking. More pollution. More congestion. Small shops go out of business. Town centres die. Then again New Labour is the party of the people and yet we have record house prices, and the workers cannot afford to buy a house.
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I have used Park & Ride once (Kingston). >> you ventured into the Kingston car parks you would queue for ages. Bluewater all the time now even though it's further.
>>
Blimey!
If you would shop in Kingston, then Bluewater is a LONG way to go as an alternative!
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Cambridge? Don't even bother.
The City is solid from 7.35 to 9.30; from 12 to 2 and from 3.30 to 6.30. There is nowhere to park if you want to pop in for a moment. You can't even drive into the centre these days - let alone park.
Waitrose & John Lewis just off the M11 are great though. Likewise Tesco Extra at Bar Hill.
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zm: "I wonder what foreign tourists make of Britain in general, let alone parking issues!!!!"
Simple. We reckon its a rip off (don't get me started on the cost of petrol or motorway service areas!) so we head for France instead...
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Grange Over Sands in Cumbria.
Plenty of free on street parking (for an hour). IIRC, not an empty shop in the place. Home of the Tea Guilds 'Top Tea Place 2006', home of Britains Best Butcher (in 2004, I think). Thriving little town. Lovely.
[img]ofuabduction.com/images/alex/HissyClaw.gif[/img]
MTC
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Reminds me of going to Oxford. I trawled round the park-n-ride car park for ages looking for a space - completely rammed. So I ignored all the "Please use park and ride" signs, drove into town and stuck it in a multi-storey with no problems.
As for Chester - I always used to park on the street in Handbridge and nip across the river to go into town. That was a decade or so ago now - I bet someone's been round with a tin of yellow paint since then.
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Went to Spalding today - a mixture of very nice and not so nice BUT they want you to go there! Multi storey carpark in the middle of the town with the ground and first floors giving free parking for 2 hours. Get a free ticket from a machine and display. It can be done if they want your business and I bet multi storey costs a lot more to build and run than an acre of tarmac with white lines on it!
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