Topic ID 6905
Ironic that whilst one part of the District Council is working to help businesses in the town through it's Hertford Futures initiative, another part seems to be doing the opposite [url="http://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/Hertfordshire/East-Herts-ponders-evening-car-park-charges-for-Stortford-28112012.htm"]East Herts ponders evening car park charges for Hertford[/url] The part that defies logic IMHO is: "The objective of these changes would be to encourage footfall in our town centres and so support the businesses" How does charging for something that is currently free "encourage footfall"?
Reply ID 91286
... any income generated by the imposition of evening charges would result in other tariff changes or reductions. Presumably the idea is to reduce daytime charges.
Reply ID 91287
I look forward to dodging more cars parked on the double yellows of Hertford of a Saturday night because people are too tight to pay a quid.
Reply ID 91288
quote:According to the council report, the options are: • Introducing a free or discounted first half hour • Introducing a discounted 2hr tariff
Originally posted by Enoughofthat
... any income generated by the imposition of evening charges would result in other tariff changes or reductions. Presumably the idea is to reduce daytime charges.
Reply ID 91289
On the plus side ... [url="http://www.hertford.net/blog/default.asp?id=1207"]Council to Scrap Parking Top-up Fee[/url]
Reply ID 91290
About time..........!
Reply ID 91294
does anyone use this system? I had a go but was beaten by the red tape involved.
Reply ID 91305
this would be the same council that gives it's staff subsidised (by the council tax payer)parking at the multi story car park?
Reply ID 91307
quote:Yes. It's easier if you do the onetime setup on the myringgo website beforehand.
Originally posted by carlos fandango
does anyone use this system? I had a go but was beaten by the red tape involved.
Reply ID 91317
will have another go then, cheers James
Reply ID 92809
Evening charges approved [:(!] http://www.hertford.net/blog/default.asp?id=1235
Reply ID 92813
Thanks Steve [V] So when does this scandalous charging start from and may I ask how much is it going to cost the Council to pay parking operatives to patrol the carparks 6 days a week up till 9.30 pm every night?????? Is it a saving? It really is disgusting and I will be thinking very carefully as to whether I use the carparks or park elsewhere! So guess where I can I'll go out later in the evening!!!
Reply ID 92816
quote:The blog entry suggests maintaining the minimum charge at £1.50, though it is £1.80 at present? Have I missed something here Steve?
Originally posted by Steve
Evening charges approved [:(!] http://www.hertford.net/blog/default.asp?id=1235
Reply ID 92817
The car-parks are a public resource - i.e. they are ours. Why shouldn't a fee be charged for their use, irrespective of the time of day or evening? Especially if it enables a change to the daytime parking charges that have been the source of much criticism here. I hardly think that a £1 charge for up to 21/2 hours parking will break any car owners pocket but it does seem that some people in todays society of entitlement expect freebies. In previous threads, people have commented that the pay & display system has deterred them from lingering in town to browse in shops - the addition of a third hour, effectively for free, should now allow them to do that. In answer to the OP, hopefully this will "encourage footfall and so support the businesses". I guess we'll find out at the end of the 1 year trial.
Reply ID 92819
quote:The current charges are 80p for an hour, £1.50 for two hours and £2.20 for three hours. From April it will be 80p for an hour, £1.50 for two hours and £1.50 for three hours. So 1 hour for 80p, 2-3 hours for £1.50.
Originally posted by Woodyquote:The blog entry suggests maintaining the minimum charge at £1.50, though it is £1.80 at present? Have I missed something here Steve?
Originally posted by Steve
Evening charges approved [:(!] http://www.hertford.net/blog/default.asp?id=1235
Reply ID 92820
quote:Thanks - I had a "senior moment" and added an extra £1 to the 1 hour charge [:o)]
Originally posted by Steve The current charges are 80p for an hour, £1.50 for two hours and £2.20 for three hours. From April it will be 80p for an hour, £1.50 for two hours and £1.50 for three hours. So 1 hour for 80p, 2-3 hours for £1.50.
Reply ID 92824
I'm no fan of EHDC but on this issue I can see their logic. A triving town centre economy doesn't directly affect the council's income through increased business rates. As far as I understand, and I am happy to be corrected on this point, business rates are collected by the council but are passed to central government, pooled and redistributed according to population. A few restaurant and bar owners benefit and we can suppose there is some local employment but the majority of the Hertford's population do not benefit financially from the large numbers of people attracted to the town at night. In fact it may even be a nett cost to the local council tax payers. As it currently stands, the council builds and maintains car parks for the benefit of many people who live outside that area and who therefore don't contribute to the cost. If we accept this point, then it follows that local council tax payers are subsidising the evening economy rather than benefiting from it. One of the few ways that the council can fairly "tax" the many evening car park users who don't pay council tax but consume council services is by charging for evening parking. Obviously, people who live locally, pay council tax and end up paying for evening parking may feel double charged but on balance it seems quite the fairest option. Perhaps there is even a case for charging more.
Reply ID 92825
I don't agree Enoughofthat. I would like to argue as a local payer of Council Tax and someone who has to pay for parking, I often have to pay more for only spending less than an hour in the town on business of one thing or another but am unable to park anywhere else, what about my rebate for unused, but paid for parking????? It will come to quite a lot over the past few years. I think it will actively encourage people to park where they shouldn't or in places that are more dangerous for other road users and pedestrians and if I only need to spend 2 hours in the town, offering that I can stay for three for the same price doesn't cut it.. If I don't need to spend the time there ie: I am on my lunch hour, then so be it! I haven't yet had a response regarding the cost of employing parking attendants till 9.30 pm 6 days a week.. The costs of providing either shift workers or paying staff extra money must break into the very reason that EHDC are putting up the car parking fees again. I would love to hear about the costings please.....
Reply ID 92826
I thought that the parking attendants already worked through the evenings,but maybe it is only on 1 or 2 nights.
Reply ID 92827
Hi Dutch Knight. Currently the time of 6.30 pm is the time when the meters stop and parking effectively becomes free till the next morning (8am I believe?) but if you were to extend the parking hours to 9.30 pm from 6.30 pm that's yet another 3 hours per day, six days a week.. additional hours so my question is how much more are EHDC going to have to pay for the addition of parking attendants to remain in the town till 9.30 pm or later ?
Reply ID 92829
But the parking attendants,don't just patrol the carparks,they monitor all the parking in the town centre and on the housing estates surrounding the town centre. I have been in the town before and The parking attendants have been out at around 9pm,but I don't know if this is a regular thing or not.
Reply ID 92830
I can only speak for my experiences in the town centre they patrol around them at the current end of charging time and then I don't see them after 6.30 pm or soon after - why would they be around when most parking restrictions are lifted till the next morning if a weekday? I have never seen any later in the town after 6.30 pm perhaps others can report on this on this forum? After all the whole point of them always has been revenue collection, despite the best attempts by EHDC to tell the public otherwise.... Why patrol a town later than you need to when parking restrictions and payment times have been suspended? Perhaps admin or other forum members can tell of any instances of seeing parking attendants checking carparks after the parking time has finished....?
Reply ID 92831
quote:If this is the case ,then why do they patrol the outskirts of Hertford ie: hornsmill estate ,sele farm,Bengeo etc.They patrol areas where there are double yellow lines in place as well,not just the carparks
Originally posted by Drama Queen
After all the whole point of them always has been revenue collection, despite the best attempts by EHDC to tell the public otherwise....
Reply ID 92837
Parking attendants do patrol the streets of Hertford long after 6.30pm. We were in Lussmanns last Tuesday evening and at approximately 8pm saw a ticket being put on a white range rover parked outside their door.
Reply ID 92856
And I know a number of people who've been ticketed 9pm-ish for parking in loading bays.