Hand-over of the Keep it Cromer petition to The Cromer Crab Company bosses. Tim Bartlett (Chairman of North Norfolk Labour Party). PHOTO: ANTONY KELLY

Online site to voice fears over parking changes in North Norfolk

ADAM LAZZARI Friday, January 27, 2012
12:13 PM

North Norfolk residents are being urged to write to the district council objecting to proposals for increased car parking charges in “better off” towns, and to support a seasonal tariff instead.

North Norfolk Labour Party has set up a website – www.parkingplan.co.uk – where people can add their contact details and send an e mail directly to council leader Helen Eales.

In recent months the ruling Conservative group has come under pressure from local businesses and town and parish councils to re-consider its plans.

The district council is proposing to increase charges for car-park users in Wells, Holt, Cromer and Sheringham.

Parking fees in Fakenham, Stalham and North Walsham would remain unchanged other than the introduction of a £1 evening charge, where it is currently free.

All free car parks in the district, including Highfield Road, Fakenham, Polka Road, Wells, and two North Walsham car parks, will become paid for season ticket only car parks.

The changes were agreed by full council in December and are due to come into effect on April 1, raising an estimated annual £100,000 and help plug a £900,000 hole in the council budget.

North Norfolk Labour party chairman Tim Bartlett said the planned charges would split the district in half.

“Not only will this be a further assault on their household budgets at a time of rising costs and stagnant incomes, it will harm town centre trade too.”

Labour proposes the introduction of a seasonal tariff system with modest increases in parking charges during the summer months, offset by reductions in the winter. This would mean that for local people parking charges remain the same over the course of the year, with the additional cost passed on to summer tourists.

Mrs Eales has said she is prepared to listen to alternative proposals but hard decisions had to be made to prevent an across-the-board 2pc increase in council tax.

She has also denied that accusation that seaside towns and Holt were being targeted because they were richer but said it was because they attracted tourists.

8 comments

As you might expect, I disagree with you, Chris. This isn't point scoring, this is about highlighting the choices that the council has. Rather than just criticising, this story highlights there is an alternative proposal which is supported by businesses and some councils unlike existing proposals. I agree with you the Lib Dems are to blame too - their party supported cuts to local government, and despite their protestations about these plans, abstained from voting on it.

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Jono Read

Monday, January 30, 2012
Whether rightly or wrongly, I think people have forgotten that it was the previous (Lib) Administration who wrote these increases into the current' budget, which has to be honoured by the new Admin. Labour are trying to score points, as usual. Shame they couldn't have run our economy properly under Gordon.

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chrisb

Sunday, January 29, 2012
Suzy, I think what you are missing, is the consideration we are merely putting forward a fairer way of what the conservatives are trying to do. We would dearly love to have cheaper car parks, but we do not control North Norfolk District Council - What we are suggesting is an alternative to what the conservatives are proposing, by which they would still see a rise in revenue, but it will not adversely impact on the local population. We think this is fairer than just putting charges up in half of the towns. By operating a seasonal tariff. the average cost across the year would be the same, for someone who, say, uses the car parks 2 or 3 times a week, every week of the year. Whilst I agree, not all tourists are wealthy, NNDC has a duty to look after the interests of its tax payers first. I do not suspect that many on Holiday will be put off coming because of the car parking fee's, but rather because they cannot find anywhere to park - In Holt a new car park is desperately needed, yet Tory Norfolk County Council is not appearing very Pro Active in making this a reality. I share your frustrations about car parking, as many do. If Labour get in, then we can do something about it. But, while people keep electing the Liberals and Tories, you can expect very little progress.

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Callum Ringer

Saturday, January 28, 2012
the tories think parking is a source of revenue it is not ! it is a service ! your suggestion that parking should not increase at all will never please them suzy !

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Double Bill

Saturday, January 28, 2012
Does anybody know where tourists park in Holt?

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Tufty

Saturday, January 28, 2012
sorry, Am I missing something?. don`t people who arn`t rich, or tourists need to shop in Holt in summer, when it`s impossible to park because of tourists, and who need to park quickly and get back to work, and find they can`t. why should they pay more in the summer?. how patronising. they have to go to other towns to shop, yet keep the shopkeepers going in the winter. we pay rates yet are going to be expected to pay more, when there will be no parking available. By the way, why should tourists be ripped off, they may not be rich either.short sighted, greedy, and a good way to put people off coming.

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suzy

Friday, January 27, 2012
Mrs Eales says she's increasing parking in these towns because they want the money from tourists. Isn't this exactly why they should back the alternative parking plan - a plan that increases charging only when tourists are here (not in the winter months when they're gone).

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Jono Read

Friday, January 27, 2012
makes me tired reading about this saga.no one will benefit longterm from charging to park.

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bookworm

Friday, January 27, 2012

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