7th April 2010

WEYMOUTH: Anger over proposals for more parking charges

by Harry Walton

PROPOSALS to extend pay and display parking on-street in the town centre and on the Pavilion forecourt were savagely criticised as “daylight robbery” and denounced by speaker after speaker at a meeting of Weymouth and Portland planning and traffic committee.

Firoz Kanji who organised a petition against the pay and display extensions, said remaining free one hour limited waiting spaces were vital for local people who didn’t live in the town centre but had to pop in for a quick visit to the bank or a doctor’s appointment.

He urged a rethink of the “daylight robbery” charges as did Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism secretary Michel Hooper-Immins who said local businesses were against the loss of any of the free one-hour spaces.

He added that the proposals were “unwelcome” and said: “The chamber believes that charging for such spaces in future would be perceived negatively as a tax on local people shopping in Weymouth.”

Former harbourmaster Peter Tambling for the Royal Dorset Yacht Club launched a blistering attack on the “stealth tax” which he said was “an absolute disgrace” which threatened to destroy Weymouth’s reputation as “a caring council” for ever.

Councillor John Birtwistle said it was “a revenue gaining exercise” which would cost £250,000 to set up. There was a better chance of a decent return, he said, by giving council finance chief Jason Vaughan the money and sending him “off to the races!”

Transport spokesman Councillor Christine James said more evidence was needed that the charges would improve congestion while Councillor Kate Wheller said it would actually make the number of car movements worse because people would drive round and round waiting to collect someone they had dropped off for a quick bank or shop visit.

Chairman Councllor Peter Farrell said he didn’t believe that introducing the charges would make “a jot of difference” towards improving traffic and that having such meters there was “quite iniquitous” particularly for the effect on elderly people.

Debate on charging for the Pavilion forecourt also produced stinging comments that it could hit not just bookings but the whole future of the Pavilion.

Councillor Farrell said: “We do need joined up thinking. We can’t have a group which is trying to overturn a £400,000 Pavilion deficit being faced with this.”

Members then backed Councillor Birtwistle’s proposal to tell management committee colleagues that they didn’t want town centre charges proceeded with or Pavilion forecourt charges implemented.

WEYMOUTH: Anger over proposals for more parking charges

Comments

Add new comment