Parking charge hike hits hard
Businesses are concerned that new charges introduced in council carparks could affect their trade.
Parking charges have gone up and now apply on Sundays and after 6pm.
Yellow signs were put in all Newark and Sherwood District Council’s carparks on Sunday, stating that the changes would be implemented from Monday.
Mr Mike Weston, the manager of Reel Cinema in Newark, said many of his customers used the London Road carpark.
He said the cinema was becoming established and they wanted costs kept to a minimum to make it more accessible.
“They are hitting people on their nights out and trips out on a Sunday,” said Mr Weston.
“Newark did not have a cinema for many years and we are trying to build it up to what it should be by keeping the costs down.
“My main concern is how it is going to hit families on Sundays. They come for children’s parties and they will automatically have £2.10 added to their costs.”
Mr Frank Dyson, the licensee at the Castle Barge at The Wharf, Newark, said people might go to Nottingham or Lincoln where parking was cheaper.
“It is just money-grabbing by the council,” he said.
“There is no adequate bus service to get in and out of town late at night either.
Mr Dyson said that The Wharf carpark was busy on Monday and Tuesday evenings as well as at weekends.
“It is full of people spending money in and around town so it is going to affect us all. It is very short-sighted.”
Mr Dyson said he was considering a refund system after 6pm so that his customers could get their £1 fee back if they bought two drinks in the pub.
Mr Jim Besson, the district council’s community facilities manager, said official advertisements were published in the Advertiser in March, stating that people had 21 days to register their concerns.
He said the carparks at Tolney Lane and The Wharf had always charged on Sundays.
Mr Besson said the changes in carpark charges were not just a budget-balancing exercise.
He said the council cabinet had considered the possible detrimental effect on the town centre.
Charges now apply Monday-Sunday in all council carparks in Newark.
Some, including Potterdyke, London Road and Appletongate, will charge a flat fee of £1 from 6pm-11.59pm.
At both Potterdyke and London Road carparks there has been a 10p increase on stays of one hour, two hours and two-four hours.
One hour will now cost £1.10, two hours £1.50 and two-four hours £2.10. Cars staying over four hours will pay the same price of £4.
Charges at the Tolney Lane, livestock market and Castle station carparks have risen 20p. One hour now costs £1, two hours £1.40, two-four hours £1.80 and over four hours £2.20.
Charges at the short-stay carparks on Appletongate and at The Wharf have risen 10p, with one hour now costing £1.30 and two hours £1.60.
The fixed charge for lorry parking at Newark Lorry Park has risen from £7.70 to £8.
The cost of monthly season tickets for the out-of-town carparks on Tolney Lane, the livestock market and Castle station, remains at £32.
Town-centre carpark season tickets at Potterdyke and London Road still cost £48 a month.
Fixed charge fines have also changed, with two levels of offences.
Lesser offences, including parking for too long in a space, are liable to a fixed fine of £50.
More serious offences, such as parking in a disabled bay without a blue badge, are liable to £70 fines. Both fines are halved if paid within 14 days.
