New Parking Charges Considered for Truro and Cornwall – Reduced First Hour Rate
By chris_wasey | Friday, October 08, 2010, 20:05
With the old districts now gone, Cornwall County Council are in the process of discussing a new set of parking charges to be rolled out across the whole county. The biggest change on the table; a new low rate for the first hour, so as to encourage increased foot traffic – 50p in some areas, but £1 in bigger towns such as Truro , Newquay or St Ives.
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A lot of choice for parking in Truro
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Highland Cross Car Park, Truro.....ouch!
Changes in mind
Chaired by local councillor Andrew Wallis, the panel has sought feedback from all local parish and town councils in the county in an effort to reach an even handed solution. The current thinking is as follows:
- A lower rate for the first hour of parking across county
- More expensive season tickets (to be phased in over two years)
- Tourists can by one week ‘Rover’ tickets for all car CCC car parks at a ccost of £30
In the past, Truro councillor, Rob Nolan has expressed his displeasure at the parking costs in the town, suggesting that we are used as “a cash cow”. Given as Truro is set to be the most expensive spot in the county (£1 an hour, £2.30 for two hours and £5.50 all day), it seems he has a point.
Local view
Local resident, Luke Tucker is less than pleased with the current situation:
“Its ridiculous, Truro is so expensive. It costs an arm and a leg to go into town. Scrap it, make the whole thing free. I’ll be gone in two hours!”
Luke’s is a popular opinion, a matter acknowledged by the panel. But put simply - council run car parks are money spinners. The cash made across the whole of Cornwall is fed back into one central fund, and in order to make up for the lost revenue, your council tax would need to go up 6-8%.
Truropeople view
As the biggest and (generally) most affluent part of the county, this isn’t entirely unexpected. We may all long for the days of 60p per hour, but they are long gone. So long as the £1 limit isn’t broken (no sly increases to £1.20, please!), we need to keep some perspective – it costs less than a litre of fuel. More to point, I’d rather pay the council and have it go towards local services than see it go to the blood sucking vampires that run private car parks – an ethos of clamp first, questions later.
Have your say.
As Andrew Wallis has said in his award winning blog (click here to check it out), if you disagree with any of the proposals, why not respond during the consultation? What do you suggest they do differently? It would be better than just saying “I don’t like it”.
Comments
I'm afraid that councils throughout the UK know they are on a money spinner whenever motor cars are involved. Be it parking them or driving them past ridiculously sited speed cameras....the money just keeps on rolling in. It's just so easy, and cheap too. Just maybe they could adjust the ridiculous amounts of executive pay to keep the council tax down. But no....that won't happen. Brits will moan but always pay up in the end, unlike our French friends across the channel. So heh!!! put up the charges we'll pay whatever you ask.
By willlefeurve at 19:26 on 24/10/10
ReportI'm trying to think what I pay for parking when I go to Truro but I honestly don't know, the charges above do seem very expensive though. I ususally go in for a good two or three hours to have a wander round the shops, that said (and I'll probably be shot down for saying this!), I did quite a bit of online clothes shopping last week and although the delivery charges from some places seem quite steep, it's still actually cheaper than the travelling and parking costs when going to Truro.
By Em_Williams at 22:42 on 13/10/10
Reportfeeling ill the other day I parked as close to Boots as possible to sort out my photos. I usually park at Moorgate but parked at the NCP car park. On my return I discovered it is £4.20 for up to 2 hours-Rip off! During a recent visit to France I was amazed that in most town and village centres there was free parking. This made a huge difference as to whether we chose to stop off and wander around and made our whole stay more pleasant!
By flowerypowery at 08:22 on 12/10/10
ReportWhat about the car park opposite Whetherspooons? Thought that was over a pound? Either way, a quid should be the absolute limt!
By causus_belli at 23:48 on 11/10/10
ReportIt may be a reduced first hour rate in Truro but not Falmouth. We currently pay between 80p and 90p. If it goes up to a quid that's a 25% increase! Not good.
By irgmcdonald at 15:44 on 10/10/10
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