The future of 1-hour-free parking in Newport remains undecided.
The parking pilot was introduced in May last year and allows shoppers to park in Lugley Street, Sea Street and Chapel Street car parks in the town centre for an hour for free.
In the first 6 months of the trial, an additional 62,526 free tickets were issued in the car parks.
The scheme was brought in after the COVID-19 pandemic to help aid Newport High Street’s recovery and bring shoppers back to the town.
It was a joint venture between Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council, the Isle of Wight Council and Shaping Newport. The pilot has been marked as a success by the community council as visitor numbers increased in the town.
Funding for the pilot runs out later this year and has so far only been backed by the community council.
In its budget, the community council has set aside £40,000 — the same as last year — to give the Isle of Wight Council in lieu of the lost parking income.
In the first 6 months of the trial, after a £20,000 contribution, the Isle of Wight Council had lost £26,027 which was £5,538 less than predicted.
At its meeting on Monday, the community council was after assurance to as whether the free parking would continue.
Councillor Matt Price pleaded with the council to keep it going as it was something the town had needed for a long time and it had been a tremendous success.
He said:
“When you look at how other town centres are performing, Newport is doing OK, it is holding its own.”
Chris Ashman, the council’s regeneration director, said conversations were ongoing with the Newport Business Association about how businesses could help fund the scheme and share the financial burden in the future.
I neve go to Newport is there any shops there
Not no more, not since people like yourself only shop online.
Highly unlikely if they have just reported that they are running low of money
The IoW Council will ‘claim’ that due to ‘Budgetary Pressures’ this cannot continue.
Sorry, this is NOT A COST.
Loss of revenue perhaps, but (classic local government) will claim they gave to spend money to give people free parking! Sorry – loss of income, yes, cost incurred? Why?, How?!?!
Honestly ,local businesses are having a tough time and they are in talks to see if they can contribute to the councils losses !!!!! To keep free parking for 1hr ???
Business rates ,staffing cost’s , utility cost’s …..
And that’s before product cost’s …
Already one business is asking for donations to keep it open .
But then money in the Council coffers is obviously more important, than a town centre…
Let’s be realistic the way things have gone recently all the businesses in high streets are going to find it difficult if not impossible to survive, the general public are so hard hit there just ain’t going to be any money about to spend on anything than absolute necessities.
was going to add wheres it going to end but that would be waste of words
its 2023 what a bloody way to survive if you can that is