Car Parking fiasco

Councillor Kevin Peel told Canal St, that recent changes to on-street parking had left many residents whose only option is to park on the street out of pocket. Under the current scheme only about 30 residents have a parking permit, which allows them free parking at weekends and after 5pm during the week. “It’s a joke,” said Cllr Peel. “The scheme was not properly advertised and it’s inflexible.”

In response,Councillor Nigel Murphy, executive member for the environment, admitted there were flaws in the current system and said they hope to announce details of a new scheme shortly. “Parking has always been and will always be an issue for people who choose to live in the city centre,” he said. “It would be impossible for us to provide a parking space for every one of the city centre's 20,000 residents.” Prior to 24 October, parking on the street was free after 6pm and all day on Sunday. Now drivers have to pay until 8pm every day. Previously, city centre residents coming home from work after 6pm could park on the street overnight free of charge. They now have to wait until 8pm to use the parking spaces or pay for the privilege. 

A new scheme for residents, is expected to materialise early next year.

There are also major concerns that the changes to on-street parking will have a broader negative effect on trade in the city. Respondents to the council’s own survey stated their belief that shoppers would opt for places like the Trafford Centre over the city centre.

These new tariffs are believed to be a response to congestion in the city centre, particularly on Sundays, but Cllr Peel said it is important to monitor their impact. “It’s too early to tell the impact of the changes,” he said. “If, in six or twelve months after implementation, the negative effects people feared have come to fruition, we need to look at it again.”

One member of the Village Business Association said"Since the new traffic policies were recently introduced,it has been very obvious that most of the parking bays lie empty,in and around the Gay Village, at the expense of the privately owned car parks,who appear to be the main beneficiaries of this change"

Before 24 Oct, on-street parking charges applied Mon-Sat, from 8am-6pm.Now parking charges are in force from 8am-8pm every day.Vehicle owners can no longer pay per 15 minutes but must pay per 30 minutes.Parking charges went up from £2.20 to £2.70 per hour on 27 June 2011. The residents’ permit shortens the window when charges apply to 9am - 5pm during the week. This effectively exempts residents working a regular 9-5 job from parking fees (outside of the cost of the permit itself).

Published: 17-Nov-2011: (934)