Chester Free After 3pm Parking

frankp57By
Dec-6-2017
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Well it’s finally been announced, the Chester free after 3pm parking is to come to an end in January 2018. You may recall that I wrote a blog post about the impending abolition of this free service a few weeks ago. If you can’t remember it, or you didn’t read it first time around, you can find the article HERE.

Although it has been announced it will end in the new year, no specific date has been given it would seem. As expected, the news came amidst political disagreement. The decision has been made by the Labour led Cheshire West and Chester Council. In true political fashion, Chester Conservatives have criticised the move. Their fear is that it will hit the local economy and local residents hard in the pocket.

In addition, Tory councillors have criticised a proposed trial to make the city’s park and ride service free after 2pm on just one day during the week.

Chester Free After 3pm Parking

The Cheshire West and Chester Conservatives claim they ran a well-supported campaign to save Chester free after 3pm parking. In addition they also claimed they were backed by the majority of residents, visitors and businesses. But, it would seem, the Council were not keen on the Conservatives proposals.

The Council has suggested alternatives to replace the end of Chester free after 3pm parking. But again, there doesn’t appear to be anything certain. Considering we are only just over three weeks away from the new year, there seems there is very little time to announce alternatives to not only please the masses, but very scope for margin of error.

It is not the intention of Chester Lifestyle to enter the political arena and take sides. But, I do have some thoughts on the subject.

The Alternatives

One suggestion as a replacement, is free car parking after 2pm for park and ride users. In addition, another proposal put forward is a ‘spend and save’ scheme. This would entail retailers partly refunding parking charges if customers spend over a certain amount.

In my original article I touched upon a variety of other parties that are affected by the abolition of Chester free after 3pm parking. Neither of these schemes are of any assistance to the many workers who work in Chester city centre after 7pm (this is the time when the park and ride service ends) for instance. Nor will these schemes be of any benefit to the visitors to the city centre. Is there a scheme, for instance, that suits visitors to the Storyhouse?

It is like a robbing Peter to pay Paul scenario in a way. On the one hand, Chester has announced to the world that you can now visit our new culture centre. But, for that experience, we will charge you for that privilege. How much? Don’t know, it’s not been announced yet.

What About The Outskirts?

I happen to live in Hoole and resident parking is a nightmare anyhow. As it is no doubt in other locations on the outskirts. It is bad enough to find so many non residents parking right outside your house during the day. The streets of Hoole are crammed with outsiders dumping their cars and walking into town or the railway station.

So what will happen in the new year? A free after 2pm park and ride service is of little benefit to residents of Hoole after 7pm is it? We will be faced with the added nightmare of ‘out of towners’ now preventing us from parking outside our own homes in the evening as well.

Or maybe this has been considered? If so, in what way? Again, there is only about 3 weeks left until the new year. Should we get our resident parking permit applications in now? If we did, what odds on them now being accepted in light of any new proposals? Even if they were to be accepted, I would hazard a guess they would be a great deal more expensive now than before.

A Couple Of Ideas

We have been aware for some time that the abolition of Chester free after 3pm parking was going to happen. But this latest announcement – see how the Chester Chronicle have reported it HERE – hasn’t really provided solutions to suit the majority has it?

Of course, like pointed out in the Chronicle article, I also understand the need for the Council to raise money somehow. Not being privy to the financial information involved it is difficult to gauge the scale of the monies required. Although probably nowhere near the amounts needed, a couple of local schemes spring to mind. As already mentioned, I live in Hoole. There is a 24 hour free car park in Bishop Street with 82 spaces.

Like so many areas of Hoole, this will no doubt be packed full of ‘out of towners’ parking here and walking into town to work, or to the railway station. Why not make the car park a Pay and Display? The first two hours for instance could be free, with a scale of charges applied after 2 hours.

Having a free period would enable shoppers to pop into Charles Street and Faulkner Street and go about their shopping. This would of course force the ‘out of towners’ to pay, or to park in a city centre car park.

Also, why don’t the Council encourage resident parking schemes? I wouldn’t mind paying £60 a year or something like that to enjoy the luxury of parking outside my own house. As well as generating some funds that way, it would also capture the non-residents that will no doubt ‘risk it for a biscuit’.

How many residents parking schemes could be implemented in the outskirts?

In Conclusion

These suggestions are not meant to be the total solution and they themselves would be subject to other considerations. But, they are at least alternatives that would generate the Council revenue.

No doubt there will be more news to report on this subject. When there is, I’ll let you know.

Over to you. What other ways could the Council generate revenue and keep free after 3pm parking? Why not give it a think and let me know.