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Anger over plans to bring in parking fees
A LOCAL businessman has hit out at plans to introduce car parking charges at County Hall in Dorchester.
Peter Noble, from Haylands Close in Poundbury, says plans to introduce parking fees outside office hours will simply target churchgoers and volunteers.
Mr Noble is also concerned that the continued rises in parking costs could lead to people avoiding the town centre and businesses losing out.
Parking charges at County Hall between 7pm and 7am and at weekends are expected to come into force this summer.
Mr Noble, 67, said: "The people who use that car park over the weekends are predominantly going to church or doing voluntary things for the town. Who else would go into town on a Sunday morning?
"It's just pure and simple greed. They are only interested in getting more and more money out of people."
Mr Noble also hit out at plans to scrap free short-term parking in Trinity Street and elsewhere in town.
He said: "The only time I go into town during the week is to take something in to the bank which needs a 20-minute park or less, for which now they are going to charge me. Now I will simply not go in and just post it - maybe they just don't want anybody in town."
Mr Noble said that the inevitable consequence of hiking up charges is that people will go elsewhere.
He said: "I just think people are sick and tired of it. There is no financial reason I can think of for doing it, as people will just go somewhere else.
"They will just kill off the shops in the town as you can park for free at Tesco, you can also park for free at Poundbury and Charlton Down."
A Dorset County Council spokesman said: "By introducing evening and weekend parking charges at County Hall, it has been identified that the council could generate between £60,000 and £80,000 a year."
10:31am Wednesday 26th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Dorset Boy, Wilds of Dorset on 10:56am Wed 26 Mar 08
Are Councillors going to pay for parking when they come into town shopping under the pretext that they are on council business, or is the usual blind eye going to be used?
Are Councillors going to pay for parking when they come into town shopping under the pretext that they are on council business, or is the usual blind eye going to be used?
Posted by: Dorset Guy, Bridport on 11:00am Wed 26 Mar 08
Towns that want to thrive need to have free parking with charging only early morning to ensure the places are not filled with staff cars Some in Surrey already do this otherwise everybody just goes to stores and out of town sheds
Towns that want to thrive need to have free parking with charging only early morning to ensure the places are not filled with staff cars Some in Surrey already do this otherwise everybody just goes to stores and out of town sheds
Posted by: Old Synic, Wyke on 2:04pm Wed 26 Mar 08
Thought park and ride to county hall was supposed to solve the problem of full car park.If it ain't working don't waste the money!
Thought park and ride to county hall was supposed to solve the problem of full car park.If it ain't working don't waste the money!
Posted by: D Smith, Frampton on 2:08pm Wed 26 Mar 08
I'd really be interested to know where they got the figure of £60-80,000 from. And how much it will cost to set out the meters in the first place
I'd really be interested to know where they got the figure of £60-80,000 from. And how much it will cost to set out the meters in the first place
Posted by: DingDonG, Wilds of Wiltshire on 7:40pm Wed 26 Mar 08
[quote]Parking charges at County Hall between 7pm and 7am[/quote]
How much per year will it cost to have a night-shift parking ticket writer?
".... it has been identified that the council could generate between £60,000 and £80,000 a year."
Is this before or after the cost of enforcement? (or does the Mayor do a bit of moonlighting for free?)
Parking charges at County Hall between 7pm and 7am
How much per year will it cost to have a night-shift parking ticket writer?
".... it has been identified that the council could generate between £60,000 and £80,000 a year."
Is this before or after the cost of enforcement? (or does the Mayor do a bit of moonlighting for free?)
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