Council to allow 30 minutes' free parking in district centres
By Ian Austen
ian.austen@essnmedia.co.uk
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BUSINESS BOOST: Trader should benefit from free parking being offered for 30 minutes
Traders and shoppers in district centres across the borough are to get a boost from the introduction of 30 minutes' free on street parking.
The council is also planning to freeze charges for the first two hours in other parking bays and in council-run surface car parks as part of its overall aim of encouraging short-term visits to benefit businesses.
But in an attempt to dissuade commuters, in particular, from long-term parking, charges for both pay and display bays and car parks will go up by about 10 per cent for those who stay over two hours.
District and local centres which will benefit from the free 30-minute parking include South Norwood, Thornton Heath, Purley, Coulsdon, Selsdon, Beulah Hill in Upper Norwood, Cherry Orchard Road in East Croydon, Lower Addiscombe Road in Addiscombe, Brighton Road in South Croydon, and Old Lodge Lane in Purley.
Many of these centres already have bays allowing a maximum stay of one hour to help firms but the council believes traders will get even more of a boost from the free parking.
In another attempt to help town centre shoppers the council is proposing to freeze the cost of all day parking at its under-used car park in Factory Lane, Croydon, at £4.
On the downside for residents, annual parking permits will increase by £4 to £48 for one permit, from £72 to £78 for two and from £175 to £185 for three.
Business permits will also go up, from £275 to £300 a year.
Phil Thomas, the council's cabinet member for environment and highways, said: "About 80 per cent of people coming into Croydon park for less than two hours, so freezing the charges for the first two hours for the third year running is a good deal.
"We have also responded to the calls from traders in the district centres for free parking, so this is good news too for the business community."
Jim Hunter, who owns building suppliers Portwood Supplies, in Portland Road, South Norwood, is delighted with the news.
He said: "I took about half the amount this January as I did last year and other traders agree that there is nobody out there.
"Anything that can be done to bring people back has got to be a good thing."
8 Comments
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by Krystal, New Addington
Sunday, February 14 2010, 11:01AM
“Cupid-s*d-off, living it up
What a very eloquent and mature response.
Ron Sealey, New Addington
3 days later - no answers or explanation? Have the comments touched a nerve?”
by Cupid-s*d-off, living it up
Sunday, February 14 2010, 1:03AM
“Why is it whenever I have tried to park in the ACA carpark (which is supposedly council owned) the barrier is always down.
PROBABLY COS THEY SEE YOU COMING ALONG IN THAT OLD BANG, BANG CAR YOU HAVE.”
by New Addington resident, New Addington
Friday, February 12 2010, 11:43AM
“Here here Krystal. Why is it whenever I have tried to park in the ACA carpark (which is supposedly council owned) the barrier is always down, except on market days when the traders park there. Are the market traders paying for this priviledge and if so, who is getting the money, the council or the ACA??”
by Krystal, New Addington
Thursday, February 11 2010, 11:29PM
“Ron Sealey, New Addington
Your comments surprise me - being as you are a member of the ACA with it's Council owned car park that is not subject to charges - why is not always available to the residents? When I need to use the library - why then am I using the other pay and display car parks.”
by Mark, Croydon
Thursday, February 11 2010, 1:07PM
“'It's a pity the Council don't own the Fairfield Car Park. NCP have put their charges up in that one more than their other ones'
Anne raises a good point. Labour sold off our car parks to NCP at well under the market price at the time to plug the black hole in the council's finances (£40m in debt when the tories took over). They also handed over powers for setting car park prices. Most councils (Well ran council's I mean) opt to keep control of setting car park charges so that people can park cheaply in town. Labour let NCP charge anything they like which forces shoppers out of Croydon and into cheaper places in neighbouring boroughs. The Conservative cllrs at the time opposed this but Labour needed the money so ignored them.”