‘Teething problems’ with car parking rules lead to calls for review
Changes to car parking arrangements in East Suffolk have significantly cut illegal parking, but other issues with permits have surfaced. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN - Credit: Archant
“Teething problems” with new car parking rules in East Suffolk have led councillors to recommend a review into the latest system.
Civil parking enforcement powers transferred from the police to East Suffolk Council in April, freeing up police resources and allowing local authorities to combat nuisance parking more stringently.
While the switch has helped to clamp down on illegal parking in many problem areas, with more than 8,000 fines issued in around six months, other problems over car park charges and permit schemes have emerged.
MORE: Tougher parking enforcement begins across SuffolkChief among those are that free 30-minute car parking is now only available once a day, while the cost of some car park permits have ballooned.
Carers also say they can only use permits for 20 days out of every 30 for visiting people they are supporting, while there have also been questions over how accessible signs are for wheelchair users.
Problems have been also reported with the RingGo phone app, which people are encouraged to use to pay for parking.
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At a special meeting of the council’s scrutiny committee on Monday night, Felixstowe councillor Tracey Green said: “The [illegal] street parking has really cleared up and driven people to the car parks, and that has really made quite a difference in the town centre.”
But councillor Caroline Topping said permits for carers had been an issue, particularly when residents without internet access applying for visitor permits have not been able to use the phone line on weekends or after 8pm.
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She said: “If you have carers that, for example, work six days a week, that equals 24 days but their permit only lasts for 20 days.”
Councillor Mike Deacon said: “As the general public see it, they see a huge hike in the season ticket passes.”
According to a council report ahead of the meeting, the annual car park charges were not standardised prior to the transfer of enforcement powers.
That meant the Sizewell car park was as little as £25, while others in the district were as much as £400.