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Car Parks Forum comments
Use this forum if you have any questions or comments about car parks or on street parking .Should you wish to contribute, please use the following email: parkingforum@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.
Subject: The Harbour Car Park
Date: 23/07/2008
Comment: I’m writing to query the justification for overnight car parking in the Harbour Car Park in Havant Street. Up until this week it has been free overnight (7pm to 7am) but now we must pay to use it. Myself like many others commuter over from the Isle of Wight everyday and leave their car in Portsmouth due to the high charges for using the Car Ferry (£60 per day) hence we have always used the Harbour Car Park as the majority of users arrive after 7pm and leave before 7am.
This car park is always very quiet overnight and it means we do not have to take up vaulable residents parking elsewhere but now that charges are being applied overnight (£8 per night) it has forced us to start using free residents car parking spaces elsewhere.
I could understand the charges if the car park was constantly full but on examination again this morning at 6am it was practically empty so therefore could this decision be reviewed and free overnight parking reinstated. I know we can now park on the road overnight for free on certain roads around this car park but cars are constantly being broken into here due to their isolation and poor street lighting.
CG - Portsmouth
Response: The charges that have now increased to 24-hour charging was a decision taken by the Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation. Income from City Council owned car parks is an important revenue stream for the city Council that goes to reliving in some way the burden on the taxpayer. It is felt that the provision of parking should be paid for by those that use it, rather than the burden on council tax.
To enable a change in City Council charges you will need to contact a ward councillor who if they agree with you may then suggest such a change to the Cabinet Member. It is a decision taken by elected members and not officers of the City Council. You can contact elected members by using the link below: -
http://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/yourcouncil/1121.html
Subject: Car Park Tariffs
Date: 04/04/2008
Comment: How do you work out your rates you charge for car parks charges. And is it in line with the rate of inflation. As I find them to be over priced in certain areas, and also it is one way to put off shoppers spending there money.
Unknown - Portsmouth
Response: Car park tariffs in Portsmouth are set by the elected members of the City Council. The tariffs set are competitive in comparison to other major tourist resorts along the south coast.
The Executive Member for Traffic and Transportation has promised not to increase charges until at least April 2009. The charges can change due to us needing to set charges at appropriate levels for the local area. This is to balance parking supply and demand, taking account of transport strategies and the economic viability of commercial centres. Other than that our charges do rise in line with inflation.
Subject: City Car Parks and Evening Parking
Date: 25/11/2007
Comment: I am complaining regarding the rip off parking charges at city car parks during the evenings. Whilst visiting the New Theatre Royal (a council financed premises so I am told) to attend a concert I and many others were astounded at the car parking charges in Isambard Brunel Car Park along with the Greetham Street Car Park.
Whilst I can understand the need to discourage long term parking during the day I cannot understand the need to charge four pounds eighty pence for four hours on a Saturday evening or in fact eight pounds over four hours. I did intend to make a full evening supporting the local economy by having a meal before the concert start at 7pm but this would have taken me over the four hours limit and the four pounds eighty I felt bitterly hard pressed to pay. I ended up sitting in the car until 7 and then going to the machine, as did a lot of others. Joined up thinking should be carried out by the council and if your parking policy wasn't such a rip off I and many others would have spent more time and money supporting the food and drink establishments - remember them? Which could do with the extra trade. To add to this debacle upon enquiring with the staff at the Theatre Royal I was told that I should have been offered a car parking token at the time of booking the ticket thus reducing the charge to two pounds. It was apparent that very few people were told about this and as there was a concert at the (council run) Guildhall I made enquiries at the end of that concert as to whether people were aware of this discount or were told at the time of booking. The answer was a big fat no. You may like to consider retraining your box office staff so that everybody who books at both venues are made aware of this.
I await your answer with interest.
DP - Portsmouth
Response: We are sorry that you felt ripped off by our charges. We would like to assure you that car park charges at Portsmouth City Council car parks are competitive with the private sector car parks within Portsmouth, and with other major tourist towns and cities along the south coast. The charging rate is set by elected members and is we are pleased to say now frozen until at least April 2009.
The Guildhall and Theatre are fully aware of the discounted parking tickets we make available to them. I have passed your comments on to them so they may answer your questions about the box office service you received. Neither the Guildhall or the Theatre Royal are run or operated by Portsmouth City Council for event management, for that reason we have no jurisdiction over their box office. Unfortunately we are unable to publish their response on this website.
Subject: Great South Run - Parking Charges
Date: 26/10/2007
Comment: I would like you to confirm that all the monies collected from parking and park and ride schemes in Portsmouth on Sunday 28th October 2007, the day of the Great South Race, will be donated to charity and no Portsmouth Council is not a charity, yes I know you need money to get the Spinnaker things outside lift working and pay for all those unwanted traffic lights but that is no excuse for seemingly cashing in on what is really a charity fund raising event.
This question is not meant to be flippant, I was pressed to do this upon learning the charges for parking on the common and for the park and ride.
MC - Portsmouth
Response: The Parking Service did not operate the parking on the common or the park and ride, they were operated by specialist event companies for the Great South Run. The monies collected for parking for the Great South Run will be used for payment to the operating company, any profit after this payment will go towards the costs of the event infrastructure provide by Portsmouth City Council to enable this event to take place in Portsmouth. IT is not and has never been the intention of Portsmouth City Council to profit from this great sporting occasion but to wholeheartedly support it in any way we can.
The funding of the Spinnaker Tower is entirely separate from any traffic and parking related funding. The funding of traffic lights may partially come from general parking surplus, but not from any surplus from the Great South Run initiated parking schemes. The Parking Service did however put a lot of time and effort in to ensuring proper road closures and parking suspensions were in place for the event to ensure a great day for the runners and spectators. This was done from our existing resources and was not additionally funded. I hope that you agree that our and others efforts were well worthwhile.
Subject: Southsea Seafront Car Parks
Date: 20/09/2007
Comment: As someone who lives near the seafront I am glad to be able to walk there.
However, many choose to come by car and the car park opposite the Hovercraft Terminal quickly fills up on warm sunny days. Late comers park their cars on the odd bit of grass in the car park whish is a boon to the Parking Attendants who quickly slap parking fines on them. This must really bring misery to folk who have enjoyed a great day at the seafront to come back to what they thought was a safely parked car and find a parking fine. I know cars should be parked in the marked spaces but this does seem a tad unfair.
Having walked from Clarence Pier to the West Battery I have noticed that the car park behind the D-Day museum is almost empty and wonder why there isn't a large electronic notice at the Hovercraft Terminal car park advising where the next car park is and how many spaces are available.
Love our seafront - hate seeing the common used as a car park.
VM - Southsea, Portsmouth
Response: Portsmouth City Council has very clear signage in all our car parks notifying motorists that parking outside a marked bay could lead to a Penalty Charge Notice being issued. It is not the intention of the Parking Service to 'catch people out' but to ensure our facilities are tidy, as attractive as a car park can be and most of all safe for all to use.
We tend to agree with your point about signage, however this has been tempered with the thoughts of a lot of people that we already have too many signs for traffic which we also have sympathy with. Our Technical Manager will consider your proposals as and when current signage is replaced. Purely from a budgetary point of view it could not be done in isolation. We will also talk to Hovertravel in relation to your suggestion.
Parking on the seafront would ideally not be necessary, but if Portsmouth is to remain a viable tourist centre we must have adequate amounts of parking spaces for special events and busy weekends.