Are parking charges in Gloucester driving people away?
TRAFFIC wardens in Gloucester are putting shoppers off visiting the city, according to one family who ended up with a parking fine.
Martin Smith, 51, of Stroud, parked in Pitt Street for an afternoon of shopping with his wife Susan, daughter Dominique, 31, and her friend.
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angry: Dominique Parkinson and Martin Smith with the parking ticket.
The engineer planned to visit Debenhams, Sainsbury's and BHS in the city, so paid for two hours of parking at £2.70.
The trip took longer than expected so Mr Smith went back to top up his parking time with a new £1.40 pay and display ticket.
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On returning to his car 40 minutes later, he was surprised to see a traffic warden slapping a £25 parking fine on his windscreen – despite there being 15 minutes left on his ticket.
"I couldn't believe it," he said.
"He said I wasn't allowed to stay longer than two hours, despite there being hardly any other cars parked in the street. It's a bit of a joke when you consider they are trying to attract shoppers to Gloucester. This sort of thing just puts people off.
"We won't be coming back. You can park free in Swindon, Cheltenham and Bristol and traffic wardens there are much more reasonable."
Westgate Traders Association chairman and owner of Truscott Jewellers Ivan Taylor said: "Parking will always be a problem, it is a fine balance.
"Maybe the council should consider having cheaper rates on less busy days to attract more people then. The last thing we want to do as city is drive people away. We should be attracting them to the city centre to shop.
"Some visitors to Gloucester from big cities think our car parking charges are reasonable, but others coming from rural areas where you can park for free, think the opposite."
Nicky Wildin, of Stanman's Kitchen, in Westgate Street, believes changes could be made to parking in Gloucester but she understands that the council must charge.
She said: "After talking to customers, parking is the biggest bugbear.
"There is no doubt if parking was cheaper in the city centre then it would attract more people. But car parks need to be maintained and that has to be afforded somehow."
Barry Leach, from the Gloucester City Centre Community Partnership, said parking regulations need to be flexible.
"It is not good for trade. A maximum of three hours would make more sense," he said.
Jim Daniels, parking manager at Gloucestershire County Council, said: "On street parking in Pitt Street is designed to maximise short stays. This allows for quicker turnover of car parking spaces, meaning more visitors for the town centre."
A city council spokesman said people could appeal against fines if they felt they were wrong.
Comments
by Lecorche
Thursday, June 28 2012, 7:36AM
“Q. Are parking charges in Gloucester driving people away? (A simple question)
A. Yes!”
by Parent51
Wednesday, June 27 2012, 12:12PM
“Why park on the streets when you come to visit Gloucester? It makes it more difficult for other vehicles to get through as it holds up traffic.
I vote, we ban visitors from parking on street, all car parks to charge the same, ideally £1 an hour or park £3 all day and visitors park in proper car parks and get no ticket.”
by Michael_AH
Wednesday, June 27 2012, 7:20AM
“supernova1, Pitt St has a 2 hour parking limit, and 'no return within...' restriction. Had this publicity seeker parked in Hare Lane car park, paid for 2 hours, then returned and paid for more, there wouldn't/shouldn't have been an issue. Because he parked somewhere with a 2 hour maximum parking restriction, he couldn't return to pay for more parking. The County Council are responsible for on street parking, and need every penny to pay for pothole repairs it seems”
by Kay_Powell
Tuesday, June 26 2012, 3:47PM
“I've just seen that there is a new story about "savage" traffic wardens in Tewkesbury. Let's hope that they don't breed and produce a 'specific type', like the big cats in Gloucestershire (according to Frank Tunbridge on the slimline black panther story).”
by Kay_Powell
Tuesday, June 26 2012, 3:36PM
“happydays, I think that you're blaming the traffic wardens when you should be blaming their employers.
David, Gloucester, I agree with everything that you say, except that on-street parking is the responsibility of Gloucestershire Highways, i.e. the county council, not the city council.
I think that someone is messing with the ratings. Paul James has got 15 positives, although a few minutes ago it was up to 25 positives. At the same time, lawabiding has got 26 negatives for agreeing with Paul James.”
by 2dooks
Tuesday, June 26 2012, 1:56PM
“Update folks - Had the last laugh in the end when I visited the dentist .......the payment meter on the car park was out of order so I parked for free after all - good times!”
by Takeaway22
Tuesday, June 26 2012, 12:51PM
“by happydays32 - I take your point and agree. Are you saying they should be smarter the way traffic wardens are delegated around the county or we need more of them to catch all/most offenders?
I reckon there should be a poll on the worst areas where double yellow lines are ignored. I would like to nominate 2: North Street in Winchcombe and the Bath Road in Cheltenham. Try to drive up either of these roads and not see a car/lorry/van parked on double yellows...well it just doesn't happen!”
by happydays32
Tuesday, June 26 2012, 12:36PM
“takeaway22 i agree with you, but i moved back home with my mum some years ago when she lived on Weston Road and the parking was awful around there, people just parking up every morning to go to work Ecclesiastical being the worst offenders, the residents could not even park out side there own houses most days, they parked on the double yellows going round the corner it was so dangerous and she rang the council time after time to complain and all she got was " oh no im sorry the wardens are far to busy in town, slapping parking tickets on people who have paid for extra parking but we shall penalise them anyway" ( the last bit i added on )...And something only eventually got done when there was eventually a crash.... What im trying to say is if they spent less time ticketing people in this story, than going where its really needed then people wouldn't have such a dim view on them...”
by Severn_Bore
Tuesday, June 26 2012, 12:29PM
“No, no, no - you can't label all traffic wardens "jumped up little jobsworths".
Some of them are quite tubby.”
by Takeaway22
Tuesday, June 26 2012, 12:20PM
“If we didn't have traffic wardens, either the roads would be very dangerous as parking in a safe spot seems to be confusing to some or we would have privately owned clampers roaming the streets. Which is the better option?”