Get rid of the parking vultures & increase the number of shoppers

[salus.populi]

Yes of course,

So, for a traffic warden to know a car has parked for more than 2 hours, he will have to photo each and every parked car, then revisit 2 hours later, plus also check the photos to see if a car has gone and been replaced by another, and then revisit that car 2 hours later etc etc

Yes. That's what their job is. Just like the old traffic wardens had to do when it was free parking with a 2 hour limit.

[said]

Yes. That's what their job is. Just like the old traffic wardens had to do when it was free parking with a 2 hour limit.

Like they would return to the offending vehicle, wait until precisely one minute after the registered time and slap a ticket on it.

[said]

Is it time for Southport to get rid of the over zealous vultures and offer free parking in Southport because at this rate of shop closures there will be no viability for business left ,even as a temporary basis ?

From Genecom, Department for Business, Innovation and SkillsUnderstanding High Street PerformanceDecember 2011 - the following passage was part of the studies undertaken into dying High Streets:

"Access and parking is a major issue, particularly where high streets have beenpedestrianised. The literature about the economic impacts of parking on highstreets and town centres tends to be focused at the local level, and is not reliablycapable of extrapolation beyond this scale. Indeed it is more likely to be expressedin local parking strategies, or local authority decisions on parking policy, than in expost evaluative treatments"

[2STEPS-IN-FRONT]

On street parking has to be managed whether free or paid for, as simple as that.

If there were no traffic wardens, cars would be parked everywhere, causing obstruction and problems.
There would be no point in having time restrictions if there is no one to enforce them, cars would be left parked up all day while shop / office workers went about their jobs meaning no space for shoppers.

So love them or hate them (I’m not a fan) they are a necessity to ensure the traffic keeps flowing and parking spaces are not “hogged”

And of course to rake in 3.4 million in the fines .11.6 million 2015 to 2018 (Sept ) just from fines

[Kippax]

And of course to rake in 3.4 million in the fines .11.6 million 2015 to 2018 (Sept ) just from fines

but if everyone parked within the law / time limits there would be zero income from fines.

I’ve been driving for Close on 50 years and only had 2 parking tickets, one completely my fault the other was appealed and overturned.

If people choose to ignore parking regulations then they deserve to get a fine, simple.

[Alikado]

Like they would return to the offending vehicle, wait until precisely one minute after the registered time and slap a ticket on it.

How would they know that a vehicle would be an offender so they could return precisely on time to issue a ticket?

[2STEPS-IN-FRONT]

but if everyone parked within the law / time limits there would be zero income from fines.

I’ve been driving for Close on 50 years and only had 2 parking tickets, one completely my fault the other was appealed and overturned.

If people choose to ignore parking regulations then they deserve to get a fine, simple.

Not a!ways a case of ignoring the law ,human behaviour dictates that a percentage of people will either be late , forget ,or spend to long shopping without a sense of time...we are not perfect and this is taken advantage of to make lots of money from other people's mistakes ,the collectors have no interest in why the said person failed to pay they just want money .

[said]

How would they know that a vehicle would be an offender so they could return precisely on time to issue a ticket?

The times that I got done - they must have had a sixth sense!

[Kippax]

Not a!ways a case of ignoring the law ,human behaviour dictates that a percentage of people will either be late , forget ,or spend to long shopping without a sense of time...we are not perfect and this is taken advantage of to make lots of money from other people's mistakes ,the collectors have no interest in why the said person failed to pay they just want money .

I wonder how some people manage to get themselves dressed in the morning, it isn’t exactly rocket science.

Park your car (legally) get a ticket with your expiry time stamped on, or note the time and time limit, set a reminder on your phone if need be.

If, as you say people “forget” or “spend too long shopping without a sense of time” the question should be “should they really be behind the wheel of a car”

[local]

I wonder how some people manage to get themselves dressed in the morning, it isn’t exactly rocket science.

Park your car (legally) get a ticket with your expiry time stamped on, or note the time and time limit, set a reminder on your phone if need be.

If, as you say people “forget” or “spend too long shopping without a sense of time” the question should be “should they really be behind the wheel of a car”

You sound an deal Council Employee, why don't you introduce pay & display at your house ?

We have a failing town centre and pay & display mainly its enforcement puts customers off which is why the out of town sites don't have it.

If you find you get more visitors at your home though you might turn things on its head.

I know its a bit revolutionary but not putting people off coming is kind of needed it won't change the world in itself but surely its better to try although if your parking experiment works we will all have to have a rethink.

[Ceam]

You sound an deal Council Employee, why don't you introduce pay & display at your house ?

We have a failing town centre and pay & display mainly its enforcement puts customers off which is why the out of town sites don't have it.

If you find you get more visitors at your home though you might turn things on its head.

I know its a bit revolutionary but not putting people off coming is kind of needed it won't change the world in itself but surely its better to try although if your parking experiment works we will all have to have a rethink.

p a r k i n g i s a l w a y s f u l l . s o w h e r e a r e t h e s e e x t r a "c u s t o m e r s" g o i n g t o p a r k ?


I'll tell you where they won't park, On the road side parking, because that will be filled with the staff of the shops that are so desperate for customers.

[Kippax]

You sound an deal Council Employee, why don't you introduce pay & display at your house ?

We have a failing town centre and pay & display mainly its enforcement puts customers off which is why the out of town sites don't have it.

If you find you get more visitors at your home though you might turn things on its head.

I know its a bit revolutionary but not putting people off coming is kind of needed it won't change the world in itself but surely its better to try although if your parking experiment works we will all have to have a rethink.

On street parking in town is nearly always full, as are the car parks in Tulketh Street, so obviously the pay and display isn’t keeping people away in the droves as you suggest.

You say that parking enforcement puts people off, On street parking needs monitoring whether paid for or free, the police haven’t got the manpower to to it hence we need traffic wardens otherwise people would park all day, on yellow lines, causing obstruction etc.

The town centre has lost hundreds of on street parking spaces since I started driving in the early 70’s with pedestrianisation, Road calming, bus lanes, road narrowing etc.

The pedestrianisation of Chapel Street and making Tulketh Street a cul-de-sac was a huge mistake and was the start of the problem.

FYI - I am not or never have been a Council Employee

[local]

p a r k i n g i s a l w a y s f u l l . s o w h e r e a r e t h e s e e x t r a "c u s t o m e r s" g o i n g t o p a r k ?


I'll tell you where they won't park, On the road side parking, because that will be filled with the staff of the shops that are so desperate for customers.

At no point have I suggested no control of parking.

Still I hope the pay & display scheme for your house goes well.

Southports Town centre is dying rapidly, any way of encouraging customers into our town to spend money should be looked at and welcoming them instead of harassing them would be a good start.

It won't cure the high streets ills but we have to accept that anything that deters customers in anyway has to be considered for radical change or removal.

Soon there will be nothing left.

[salus.populi]

At no point have I suggested no control of parking.

Still I hope the pay & display scheme for your house goes well.

Southports Town centre is dying rapidly, any way of encouraging customers into our town to spend money should be looked at and welcoming them instead of harassing them would be a good start.

It won't cure the high streets ills but we have to accept that anything that deters customers in anyway has to be considered for radical change or removal.

Soon there will be nothing left.

Who are the people ready to spend enough money to keep failing shops afloat but too tight to pay a couple of quid to park?

[Kippax]

At no point have I suggested no control of parking.

Still I hope the pay & display scheme for your house goes well.

Southports Town centre is dying rapidly, any way of encouraging customers into our town to spend money should be looked at and welcoming them instead of harassing them would be a good start.

It won't cure the high streets ills but we have to accept that anything that deters customers in anyway has to be considered for radical change or removal.

Soon there will be nothing left.

I’d be interested to know how you would propose to “control parking” without traffic wardens, I don’t think you have thought this through.
Control and enforcement would still be needed if parking was free or not.