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View Full Version : Congestion charge for warwick...



chillitt
13-07-2007, 10:29 AM
This isn't going to be too well reasoned- I am incandescant!!!!:mad: :mad:

Not happy with making chaos with the parking in Warwick, and messing about with the through traffic, the County council want to bring congestion charging to Warwick!!! ITS INSANITY!!! If the charges come, I am going. Simple as that. What planet are the County council on, that they would even consider it? AAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

optrex
13-07-2007, 12:16 PM
I take it you dont like the idea then :whistling:

chillitt
13-07-2007, 12:24 PM
Not a fan, no.....:rolleyes: Also, they are starting a scheme for the shops to reinburse people for the roadside parking costs.. Genius. We aren't allowed to park there, and we have to pay other people to park outside our shops. :( You couldn't make it up.

optrex
13-07-2007, 12:50 PM
It sounds like your council has a very warped idea of how to run things.

chillitt
13-07-2007, 01:17 PM
Currently, I am considering banning all council employees form my shop. Obviously thats office staff only- got nothing against people who work for a living:eek: :rolleyes:

cathidaw
14-07-2007, 02:34 AM
I am so glad I dont have a shop any more.

I used to get so shirty at so many things expected from traders in our town.
One example---
Every year we have a Lord Mayors ball--a charity do at something like £40 a go, and every year shopkeepers were 'requested' to contribute prizes for their tombola and raffles.
I found out that 40 or 50 tickets were given ,free of charge to many of the bigwigs on the council---including the Mayor and his family--people who could readily afford one--I refused-vehemently- by letter.
I did have a letter back saying they were 'sorry I could not afford it, and it was not intended to sound compulsory', ---quite missing my point ,deliberately I am sure.
Another time Iwas asked to contribute at a 'very reduced cost' £50 to have flower baskets on the lamp post outside the shop for their entry into Britain in Bloom, which they would water at the end of every day. I refused. However they did put one up and every year afterwards, and at Christmas, even though each year I ingnored their letters. I never had to pay, but my goodness what a mess they made watering. Each morning we had to sweep up flower heads and debris, and wash the streaky windows.
It was not deliberate, but at 5.30 the workmen wanted to go home and didn't take much care. I must say though that they were very attractive and must have cost a fortune.
Local councils----jokers:mad: :mad:

Shizara
14-07-2007, 09:58 AM
Always dreaming up new ways to part people from their money.

Toad
15-07-2007, 09:01 PM
Chillitt, calm down - it won't happen, it's just some stupid (newly elected) politico trying to make the front pages of the local paper (which she did) and there is no chance of it ging ahead in the forseeable future.
Much more worrying is what will happen in September when all the 'part-time' council workers return to Shire hall and the schools go back. Then the new council money-making parking scheme will really show us the sort of trade downturn that we will have to cope with. We could all be closed long before a congestion charge comes in!!

chillitt
15-07-2007, 09:23 PM
I know its most unlikely that the congestion charge will ever come to warwick, But this sounds like another one of those 'tell em something truly awful is going to happen, then they will be sooo grateful when we only do em over a little bit' ideas. Any council (or councillor)that would even consider this should be declared unfit for office.
The Decriminalised parking is probably the ' getting done over a little bit' part of the plan. I hope no one comes into my shop wanting their parking paid for because thats as silly an idea as the congestion charge.

( I have calmed down, but there's only so calm I can get, when it might well lead to me being out of a job:( )

Toad
15-07-2007, 10:34 PM
From a traders point of view it is really important that you keep a day-by-day comparison of takings this year and in previous years. If, as we all suspect, takings fall we may well have a case for compensation from the local council and would almost certainly be due a rebate on our UBR.
After long, long consultation (these council workers are soooooooooo slow) this decrim is going to happen. Now we have to bite the bullet and fight back if they ruin our businesses.
Just as a footnote - it is well known that most of the illegal parking around the town is by traders! who then moan when their customers can't park and business is bad. In that respect we might actually gain some potential customers.

chillitt
15-07-2007, 10:43 PM
I quite liked the parking how it was a couple of years back.. free parking down by the race course. All the traders parked down there out of the way. Simple solutions are often best...
But no, houses had to be built there and a few thousand more between there and the A46, and suprise suprise heres too much traffic.. go figure.

Toad
15-07-2007, 10:58 PM
Yes, I quite agree, there is far, far to much traffic and it is ruining the town and making our lives noisy, polluted and stressful. But on the up side more houses mean more people and that equals more potential customers - and at a time when the multiples seem hell-bent on complete domination that could work to our advantage because if we have what they need on their doorstep they will think twice about going to the hell-hole 'out-of-town' shopping chaos.
But I digress! We have to deal with what we have and decrim will happen - congestion charging won't, or not for a very long time anyway.

Toad
30-09-2007, 11:49 PM
Just an update of the incompetence of our county council.
Apparently the ticket machines were meant to be solar-powered but someone at county forgot to order the solar panels; so now, because they are battery operated, the batteries are running down (what a surprise!) and they have been linked up to the mains power but now the hopeless county council are arguing with the district council about who will pay to switch the machine from battery to mains. Who is paying for this monumental cock up? We, the poor taxpayers, are!
The sooner the county council is absorbed in to a regional council the better - they will do far less damage!

Toad
18-10-2007, 11:35 PM
Another update. Talking to a parking attendant, he admitted that most of the machines were still not linked to the mains (and the batteries are flat) and that they cannot attract enough wardens. You couldn't make this sort of incompetence up - unless it's WCC, in which case it's expected!

optrex
26-10-2007, 12:41 PM
Another update. Talking to a parking attendant, he admitted that most of the machines were still not linked to the mains (and the batteries are flat) and that they cannot attract enough wardens.

Free parking then! :D

I would have thought that would make the citizens and traders of Warwick happy for a bit.

....apparently not though, it seems.

Toad
26-10-2007, 08:42 PM
Not unhappy at all - we wanted this parking scheme, just a pity it's been implemented by a totally incompentent county council! Only unhappy because it's cost loads of our money and they can't even order the solar panels for a few parking machines. And will anyone be held to account - err No!! Anyway, much more concerned about the wretched mop ruining the place. But they go tomorrow - BIG smiles!!

Toad
29-10-2007, 11:12 PM
Just a reminder - the Chamber of Trade is seeking reactions and responses for the review of the new parking regime. Please send any positive (or negative) reactions to info@warwickchamberoftrade.co.uk as soon as possible. All responses will be forwarded to the review committee.
Your chance to respond to the last three months of parking controls. Please use it.

f'north
12-10-2008, 09:09 PM
From a traders point of view it is really important that you keep a day-by-day comparison of takings this year and in previous years. If, as we all suspect, takings fall we may well have a case for compensation from the local council and would almost certainly be due a rebate on our UBR.


Just wondering how your takings were looking, as I am interested to see if this is working to improve shopping in the town. Personally I now shop in Warwick more as it is easier to find a space

nutty_girl_2001
12-10-2008, 10:53 PM
The trouble is that Warwick is too small a town for such a large organisation as a County Council. Believe me, as a council worker things are getting done to reduce the parking problem, but it won't work for everyone's arrangements.

For example, there is a thriving car-share scheme, but due to job requirements, not everyone can guarentee a start/finish time every day. Parking permits are only given to people who live I believe over 3 miles from their base office, and various schemes are running to help people afford bikes and train/bus passes etc.

The trouble is, you're trying to create some big scary monster called 'The County Council' to blame all your troubles on, when at the end of the day, it's the selfishness of individuals just like you or I on how they decide to get to work/park that causes the trouble.

For my part, I don't own a car and walk to work, so I'm blameless ;)

Toad
04-11-2008, 11:39 PM
Couple of things on the parking. It has worked really well and I think most businesses are very happy. Certainly customers are finding it much easier to park and this should be enhanced now we have the new bus station up and running (and that car park back too).

On the County Council reply; the biggest gripe is that they have private car parks (Barrack Street and Cape Road) and that many council workers (WDC as well as WCC) get free parking, or rather parking at the taxpayers expense. Why?

f'north
07-11-2008, 06:18 PM
On the County Council reply; the biggest gripe is that they have private car parks (Barrack Street and Cape Road) and that many council workers (WDC as well as WCC) get free parking, or rather parking at the taxpayers expense. Why?


Hear hear

I bet the repsonse would be well workers have to be able to park somewhere.. Toad, Chillit any other shop keep on the forum... bet you have to now pay for the privilige of parking near work..

i'm pretty sure these new warden folks get a free pass to park in the car parks also....

chillitt
07-11-2008, 07:29 PM
Hear hear

I bet the repsonse would be well workers have to be able to park somewhere.. Toad, Chillit any other shop keep on the forum... bet you have to now pay for the privilige of parking near work..

i'm pretty sure these new warden folks get a free pass to park in the car parks also....

Privilege? It's an honour to pay so much to park so far from the town centre...:rolleyes:

Toad
23-11-2008, 08:50 PM
Hear hear

I bet the repsonse would be well workers have to be able to park somewhere.. Toad, Chillit any other shop keep on the forum... bet you have to now pay for the privilige of parking near work..

i'm pretty sure these new warden folks get a free pass to park in the car parks also....

I have always paid for parking, running a car costs money and parking is one of the costs! But I am just fed up that we pay for free parking for council workers - why shouldn't they pay like the rest of us? They get quite enough perks and should be made to pay.

Toad
23-11-2008, 08:53 PM
Sorry, meant to add that the parking Gestapo DO get free parking - and they have just had a little hut made for them in the Linen Street car park at the cost of parking spaces! It's taking the P a little surely?

Will
24-11-2008, 09:47 AM
Same in Stratford. Everyone has to pay to park, apart from the people who work for the council who introduced the parking fees in the first place! Some are clearly more equal than others.

Toad
25-11-2008, 11:37 PM
I confess with the present financial problems I do not have the energy for a prolonged fight but getting these council workers to pay for parking would be a great victory!

Toad
25-11-2008, 11:39 PM
Oh, I forgot. They have totally inflation-proof, cast-iron guaranteed pensions as well as free parking. All at our expense. Which government let that one through?

Von Roden
19-12-2008, 10:58 AM
warwick council was the reason I left Warwickshire,Greedy lying ,self centered

Shizara
20-12-2008, 01:50 PM
Parking is an issue all over the place in the land where a great many houses and shops were built in the days that people didn't have cars. In today's world it is not unusual for a household to have more than one car, all requiring parking at home and in shopping areas. Many home owners have sacrificed or simply done away with front gardens to provide off road parking.

It isn't just in this part of the world that Councils come in to a lot of flack and criticism for the managing of parking and the charges for such a facility. I still have a very keen recollection of doing battle with one down under. In my line of work I was leaving premises to move to the next one. As I was leaving I spotted an offence taking place and it was my job to act upon it. I could have thought.. ooO.. Oh, well, why should I be worried ..Ooo ..then let the individual get away with it. But no, I was stupid enough to deal with the incident. The end result was a nasty parking ticket. Had I left as I had been intending to do it would not have been an issue. The local Police supported my stance in dealing with an offence and accordingly wrote a letter of explanation to the local Council. I took the letter down and was basically told that nothing would change and I had to pay the fine. I duly paid and in the accompanying letter said that the moral of the story is...

If you see a person or persons interfering with property or persons and your car is in a pay and display or on a parking meter then let the offence take place, turn a blind eye and either get into your car and drive away or feed the meter. It will save you the annoyance of a fine but an alleged offender will get away undetected. - Good stuff.

Let's hope that Councils with attitudes like that don't find themselves in a situation whereby a witness turns a blind eye and carries on leaving someone to commit and get away with an offence because if they don't then the Council will clobber them with a fine. - Catch 22 really; to do the right thing as a citizen and accordingly face a fine for it or carry on and keep the Council happy by feeding the meter again or driving off.

As for the gold plated, cast-iron pensions, nice if you can get it but for most of us our pensions are subject to all manner of things which lead to blow outs in funds and for too many huge losses.