'Car park costs are damaging our town'
KEY town figures have hit out against what they perceive to be "unfair" car parking charges in St Austell.
Mike Coles, who owns a number of town centre stores, has lobbied Cornwall Council to lower fees to encourage shoppers to stay in St Austell town centre longer and spend more.
"As an investor in the town centre I have been trying to get Cornwall Council to listen to reason about parking charges for the benefit of my tenants, the town centre and the council," he said.
"All we ask is a more logical charging regime."
Mr Coles said he thinks St Austell currently suffers the biggest disincentive for shoppers to stay longer than one hour than any other town in the county, as the rate jumps from 70p for an hour to £2.40 for up to two in Cornwall Council-owned car parks.
The authority's website states it is then £3.60 for up to three hours and £5.30 for all day.
This compares with Truro's charges of £1 for one hour, £2.20 for up to two hours, £3.40 for up to three and £5.30 for all day.
Mr Coles said it used to cost £1.20 for one hour in St Austell, which was reduced by 50p in an attempt to boost the town.
Discount
Mr Coles proposed the charges should be 80p for an hour – an increase on the current 70p, but a discount compared to Truro – then £1.50 for up to two hours, £2 for up to three hours and £5 for all day.
Town councillor Derek Collins has also hit out against the town's car parking charges.
He said he is annoyed visitors can park in Newquay all day (9am to 6pm) for £1.20 from November 1 until March 31 at Mount Wise car park, as stated on Cornwall Council's website, but that is not the case for St Austell.
"Why can't we have a seasonal reduction like that in our town?" he said. "I don't think St Austell is being treated fairly."
Cornwall Council said: "There are currently no plans to lower car parking charges in St Austell. The current pricing structure was arrived at following discussions with the community network.
"It is also important to recognise the sustainability of town centres is based on a range of factors and not just car park charges.
"Research shows there are other issues which also need to be considered."
6 Comments
by stevepz
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 9:10PM
“It's not just the parking charges. People are terrified of using council car parks. It's hard to know how long you will be in town for when you buy the ticket. With clamping and penalty charges astronomical it's just not worth taking the risk.
You would think that with what business pay for rates the parking would be free. I have no doubt that parking charges are responsible for some shops having to close down.
If I need a pint of milk do I go to town and pay a pound to park or do I go to a supermarket? Naturally while I am there I will pick up a few other bits, That's how it works. This is a big loss for the town center shops.”
by chuckjaeger
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 3:10PM
“I have to agree with some of the other posters here.
Surely the more time you buy the cheaper it should get per unit of time?
If you had to run to Boots and thought about grabbing a coffee in the town afterwards you're actually better off not staying in St Austell centre (which would encourage you to browse with your drink). Instead, head down to Costa by the Travelodge where parking's free and you've almost paid for the coffee in car park savings.
Changing the parking costs will not suddenly lead to a massive influx of people but sometimes I wonder about the business mindset of the people who run councils. Do they live in the real world?”
by TheodoreV
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 1:36PM
“For what it's worth I'll repeat my suggestion: introduce a common scale of charges for all towns in Cornwall - simple, straightforward, uniform. FREE for the first hour. One pound per hour thereafter to a maximum of four pounds for all day. Link this with automatic barriers and charging on exit to obviate the need for enforcement. Now can we have a considered response from the Cornwall Council?"”
by TheodoreV
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 1:32PM
“For what it's worth I'll repeat my suggestion: introduce a common scale of charges for all towns in Cornwall - simple, straightforward, uniform. FREE for the first hour. One pound per hour thereafter to a maximum of four pounds for all day. Link this with automatic barriers and charging on exit to obviate the need for enforcement. Now can we have a considered response from the Cornwall Council?”
by esotericage3
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 11:46AM
“There's certainly an agenda going on with towns and car parking. Councils would come out with the notion that its down to scrimp and save due to budget cuts in council services, plus the added austerity which has manifested itself from central Goverment. The councils need to make revenue in times of little money. But ?why? penalise town centres. It seems like the councils want to destroy economic structures that have served them well overtime. On one hand we see St. Austell being hit hard by the councils shocking car parking fees, now we have a double standard situation where St.Austell is set to become a BID (Business Improvement District) and have £375,000 spent on cleanliness and street environment, business support - creating links with St Austell College, reduction of business costs by collectively procuring costs. But the last part of that statement makes no sense when the council is actively driving away customers by keeping the car parking fees high *Please note that the statement comes from a different article on this paper, not one above. The end statement reads... a PR campaign to proactively market the town and encourage visitors. ?Why? launch a BID to improve the local St. Austell economy if your doing the exact opposite. Orwellan double speak.
*The article that the quote comes from is Town set to benefit from cash windfall on This is Cornwall.”
by cheekyman_jr
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 10:38AM
“I got to either Tesco or Asda when shopping in St Austell. They have everything I need I and I don't need to pay the exorbitant parking charges in town. Parking in town costs as much as a meal, and frankly I'd rather eat.
Sorry traders, you can blame the council...if I could afford to support you I would...but your prices (however reasonable they may be) coupled with the car park charges just make it unaffordable.”