Coulsdon traders hail free car park 'boost' for flagging town centre
A FREE Coulsdon car park which is growing in popularity has been hailed as a saviour for the flagging town centre.
Since "Free for Now" signs appeared at the car park, on the former Red Lion pub site, drivers have been flocking to park there.
The facility in Brighton Road had charged £1 an hour but council bosses ordered the car park, owned by Aldi but managed by Star Park, to close as it did not have planning permission.
Since August 25 when the car park went free temporarily while the planning application is being considered, up to 40 cars have been spotted using the facility at one time.
Residents and traders are hopeful the car park could draw shoppers into Coulsdon.
Traffic campaigner Peter Morgan said the free car park made "perfect sense" for Coulsdon town centre.
Speaking to the Advertiser he added: "For the first three weeks the car park was open, it only had two or three cars parked in it.
"The second day with the new signs, there were 25 cars parked there, with a steady turnover in and out.
"The car park has room for about 80 cars, and more if all bays were clearly marked.
"Long may this sense with roads benefit residents and visitors and continue to boost trade in Coulsdon town centre."
East Coulsdon Residents' Association member Janet Stollery echoed his support.
She said: "It will be interesting to see if this move significantly increases footfall and trade during the free period – I hope so for the traders' sake."
Former Sole Lounge owner, Sonia Poleon, whose shop became the sixth to close in Chipstead Valley Road this year, on July 16, blamed increasing bills and low profits for her business failing.
She added low footfall meant some days she did not sell one item.
But not everyone thought the packed car park was leading to an increase in customers for the town centre.
East Coulsdon Residents' Association chairman Charlie King said: "My observation is people using the car park are just going to Smitham Station and commuting into work.
He added: "As long as the car park is temporary I don't have a problem with it. But what we really need is a supermarket on the site, one of the big four."
A Croydon Council spokeswoman said a planning application for the car park had been received but some information was missing so it could not be registered.
But she added: "However, we anticipate the missing information will be received shortly.
"Once the application has been registered we shall be in a position to publicise it so that we can have regard for any representations made before reaching a decision."
The council expects to decide on the application within eight weeks of it being registered.
4 Comments
by Anon, Anon
Monday, September 06 2010, 1:48PM
“Ohhhhhh shut up Peter you saddo get a life FFS”
by Anon, Anon
Monday, September 06 2010, 1:47PM
“Ohhhhhh shut up Peter you saddo get a life FFS”
by Charles Edwards, South Croydon
Monday, September 06 2010, 11:13AM
“I wish I had that much time on my hands. I doubt I'd use it to watch cars entering and leaving a car park, though.”
by Peter Morgan, NP rep for Roads & Traffic 2005-2009, Coulsdon, Surrey
Friday, September 03 2010, 9:37PM
“Occupancy and use of the new Red Lion free car park continues to grow.
Yesterday at 1045 and 1220 there were 79 and 80 cars, and the car park was full.
Today at 1150 and 1220 there were 72 and 73 cars parked, with just a couple of spaces free.
As one car left, another came in.
This evening at 1910 and 1920 there were 26 and 25 cars parked, and the car park is obviously helping to stimulate the generally successful evening economy, relying very much on car-borne patrons.
Without following each driver as they leave the car park it is impossible to say with certainty where each is going.
Without logging each car on arrival and departure, noone can say for sure how long each is parking for.
However, I observed carefully yesterday morning.
I doubt if any car was parked by someone who then caught a train.
I saw the directions people walked off.
Certainly many parking between 0820 and 0920 were people who work in the town centre near to the Red Lion roundabout.
Some may park all day, but others leave after shorter periods.
The new car park is providing a real benefit to staff at local businesses.
Smitham Station and other rail users
A number of people have said they think the car park is being filled with rail commuters.
It is very unlikely many if any people drive to Coulsdon to catch the train from Smitham.
Why would anyone do that?
Car commuters for the train are very likely to prefer Coulsdon South.
They are likely to have established parking either onstreet for free, or at Lion Green Road with a £500 annual season ticket.
They are hardly likely to switch to the Red Lion car park in numbers within a week.
In addition, there is ample free parking near Woodmansterne, and also near Reedham stations, and less than 5 mins walk away
Those that wish to do park for Smitham can easily park for free on the street about 5 mins walk away, the same as from Red Lion.
Smitham has a car park with 21 spaces, yet there were only 4 cars parked there today. That is typical of its occupancy for many years.
Smitham Station Access Road has parking along one side which was fully used, but only 1 car displayed a paid for parking ticket.
There is other unrestricted free parking nearby.
Red Lion site
I took a look behind the white fence.
It would be easy enough to extend the car park to occupy the whole site.
In fact, the present car park is less than half the site, yet it could easily hold 80 cars.
The fenced off portion could certainly accommodate 100 more, with 170 to 200 in total on the site.
The best solution to the site for now would be to extend the car park to the whole site, but reserve the line facing onto the Brighton
Road, and maybe another for maximum stay of maybe 2 hours.
The enlarged car park would provide real benefit to all who use or work in the town. Even non-car users would benefit from the
increased activity.
Charges
It is not realistic to expect a private land owner to provide a public car park totally free of charge.
The council could do this on the basis of increased overall benefit to the town as a whole, but Aldi could not realise a benefit from that.
I suggest a simple low-cost scheme.
How about free for an hour, then 30p an hour MS 7am-6pm, maximum daily charge £2.50?
After 6pm, £1 charge valid to 8am next day.
After midnight, £1 valid to 10am.
Sundays £1 valid to 8am on Monday.
Weekly tickets at £10, monthly at £40?
That would be low enough to encourage usage, but high enough to generate a real profit to the land owner.
The town would really benefit.
Supermarket on the site
I think it is wholly unrealistic to expect any of the big four, Sainsbury, Tesco, ASDA, Morrisons, to come there.
Remember Purley Tesco has parking for 450 cars, and a large store besides, with quite a lot of landscaping and other non used space.
Tesco would very much like to expand the site by half ”