Living in the South East of England I assume that most parking will be controlled and charged for and I consider it a part of "the game" when I go anywhere to try and find that side street or small neglected car park where I can park without paying. I sometimes forget that although this is a small island it contains big differences. This is nowhere better illustrated than by an announcement by Cumbria County Council.
Last winter the County was devastated by flash flooding which caused millions of pounds of damage, washed out roads and bridges and devastated the towns of Cockermouth and Workington
Emergency government cash will be added to the Council's own £12m fund to pay to repair the roads and bridges but the County Council has voted to abandon a scheme to introduce street parking charges in the affected area and to use the quarter of a million pounds saved to help restore local amenities.
Now as a purist it is tempting to state the bleeding obvious, i.e. that paid parking would be a revenue producer and so add to the repair funds. But perhaps in a place where people have lost homes and livelihoods and even loved ones perhaps it's not the right time and this is the right decision.
The "bleeding obvious" is not always the right answer though.
Consider the shops, businesses and commercial premises which currently benefit from the free parking. When a parking charge is levied, a fair few people avoid the area or go elsewhere so whilst the council might make a few bob, the local shops will lose.
This can often turn a viable business into a basket case - we now have 1 in 5 shops boarded up in the UK.
I doubt Cumbria council want to see any more!
Posted by: Peter Roberts | 25 February 2010 at 04:38 AM