Councillor Geoff Brodie has been backed by members of Newport & Carisbrooke Community Council in calling for the Isle of Wight Council to introduce 30 minutes of free parking in all of Newport’s town centre streets.
Newport & Carisbrooke Community Council (NCCC) say they are increasingly concerned at the continuing demise of the retail offer in Newport, particularly resulting from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic over the last 8 months. 40+ empty shops were recently identified by a former independent shop owner, Roger Saunders.
According to NCCC, Newport is the only town centre on the Island that has no offer of at least 30 minutes free car parking in its main streets, apart from the popular Upper St James Street (Nodehill). This is reflected for example in the relative, retail vibrancy of Union Street in Ryde, within its closest comparator town, which has 1 hour’s free parking.
Now, after a vote on Monday evening, the Community Council is formally calling on the Isle of Wight Council’s Cabinet to introduce at least 30 minutes free parking in all the Newport town centre streets currently charged for including High Street, Holyrood Street, Lugley Street, New Street, Pyle Street, Orchard Street and Quay Street. They are also calling for 30 minutes free parking in Newport’s short term car parks as part of the 2021/22 Budget.
All members of Newport & Carisbrooke Community Council voted in favour of Cllr Brodie’s motion, with the only abstention received from Councillor Steve Hastings due to his position on the Isle of Wight Council Cabinet. Members felt very strongly that now is the time to act and support the motion to help the town before its too late, and although the costs of providing this are understood, not supporting it would likely see the economy and offering of town centre damaged irreparably.
The matter will be discussed on Wednesday 18th November.
Newport & Carisbrooke Council look forward to the discussion of this motion at IW Council on Wednesday 18th November.
Too little too late from our hopeless councillors. The whole lot should be removed. Brown envelope culture.
Brisn,
We ALL need to vote them OUT, for they, if left in power, then assume they are doing the right thing, by the fact they have not been voted out.
Then, as in any dictatorships, humans in such positions feel ever more vindicated in doing wrong, and so it becomes rapidly ever worse.
Whereas a new, equally suspect council would be wary at first, not having the ties with developers, land owners, suspect businesses and contacts, and not ‘knowing’ who they could trust to be untrustworthy. So, for a while at least, they are more careful, more guarded in anything immoral or illegal that they do.
Same as IF you were are a dishonest worker, IF you had a new job, it would take time to find means and ways of swindling, or discovering contacts who YOU could trust to keep quiet, and those who would ‘blow the whistle’ on your immoral, or illegal actions.
Whilst not accusing any of the council now of such, I leave the public to use their own intelligence to ‘go figure’ what goes on in such places where millions of pounds of public money are entrusted to a group of tight knit people. Where the mere signing of a piece of paper creates or stops ‘life changing’ sums of cash.
So, I agree with others, VOTE THEM ALL OUT, if nothing else, it will hurt them, where they hurt us, in the wallet.
One of the best, astute and accurate posts on here. Fully endorse all what you say.
We can do NO worse.
Council tax up every year, and less and less for it. BUT more overcrowding as they build us into oblivion.
Ensure you ALL bother to vote next time, for things will get very, very much worse when thousands more are looking for doctors, dentist, parking, jobs, hospital and overcrowded on roads and accidents will all be so very much worse.
THINK, the vote
Ps. A great post and great name ‘things that make you go’ !
Firstly the IW Council need to remove all the plastic bollards down Newport High Street.
They defeat the purpose of keeping people social distancing – in fact the complete opposite – it channels everyone into two spaces – you have no way of getting out of people’s way or crossing the road.
Then it would allow parking spaces for the free half an hour.
Though, sadly, with over 41 shops closed not sure what there is to go to Newport town for.
What social distancing no-one can give a toss anyway?? Agree with you!
Why has it taken them so long to realise that Newport is about to close as a retail shopping centre? It’s been obvious to everyone else
As with other mainland High Streets, turned into flats with opportunist non Brits, lucking on phones in doorways, selling drugs, or women’s bodies, paying no tax on such, and claiming rent, c.tax and massive amounts of child allowance for their widely scattered clones from our social security.
THAT IS the High streets future. Watch, and learn.
Vote this council out
Chump, if ladies of the night, replace the current shops, my old man wouldn’t ‘need’ even half an hour parking time!
Lol. Nor mine love, unless he spent 25 minutes looking for the place.
Indeed, would much rather see the IOW council close. Permanently.
I wouldnt bother mate, I.o.W’ers probably dont know what a Spaffer is!!
I think an hour would be better
Oooh, hark at the ‘stud’.
I don’t see the point of free parking if none the shops are open. Shopping will go the same way as newspapers before too long, 100% on-line.
As Usual to little to late, what can you do in half an hour. As I understand it you will still need to buy a parking ticket to get the first half hour free.
Ask Ivy what her better half can do within much less than half an hour!
the council couldn’t care less about the demise of the town centre – they are only worried about the demise of their business rates revenues.
If I where councilor I’d be looking into the enforcement costs and collection costs of these pay parking tickets. But then I don’t know anyone who won’t go to the shops due to having to pay a pound for parking. The parking charges haven’t killed the high street, the internet market has alongside greedy shop landlords.
Love to know what’s with all the thumbs down? So I say about the enforcement costs, meaning to people who read correctly that is it really worth the council charging for parking.
Firstly, you now know of at least one person who takes parking charges into account when choosing where to shop – me.
Secondly, according to their budgets and financial reports at least, the council seem to be making a lot of money from parking. Something where they have a clear conflict of interest as well as a legal obligation not to operate it as a source of revenue.
Unfortunately, quick fixes to balance the books and top up inadequate funding seem to be overriding long term planning and sensible strategies.
Too little, too late. Like it or not, the car is king. People still love to shop for food and drink! Supermarkets and other retail outlets with big FREE car parks are always packed.
The successful retail models are there (excepting COVID impacts) in front of people’s faces. But sadly the people making the important decisions are not experts on retail economics.
is can never competes supermarket they has large square spot is cars to park
roads in high street long thin park trolley not push over long way.
highs street is finish flats is to come now as other place
not special or is different here no racist when all mix is come to here frit is they
soon same as all
To compete with out of town retail park type shopping with its cheaper prices and with its free parking, you need to offer………free parking! Its not rocket science. When Cowes had free parking on a weekday afternoon, guess what ?- lots of cars parked and shoppers mooching around spending money in the high street. Imposing charges and then keep increasing them does NO town any favours. It really is not hard IWC
don’t Even think I need that long!
I never spend my money where parking is the first thing i think about before getting there
I just can not see the IOW council dropping charges for parking anywhere as i believe they still think they are right and everyone else is wrong.
When will they ever learn? Never i think until it is too late, which it probably already is.
Only remedy is to vote them all out.
Have to admit since the st Mary’s roundabout disaster I have not been to the town for shopping as the last time it took me 40mins to get from the school at the top of forest road to the traffic lights. Many more people have said the same.
Is the first 30 minutes not already free? Ooops. Sorry.
30 minutes of free parking…..how PATHETIC!!! Firstly, 30 minutes is hardly enough time to entice shoppers in, secondly, with 40 empty buildings, where exactly are shoppers heading for? In another post on here, plans have been approved to build a hotel and more houses, SOME AFFORDABLE. These councillors have got their priorities all wrong. Concentrate on getting Newport Town Centre back to a thriving community so the islands capital is somewhere residents and visitors would want to visit. We don’t need more housing and a bloody hotel. Who would be the developer I wonder, maybe the same company who seem to get all the other projects this scheming council have planned. VOTE THEM OUT AT THE NEXT LOCAL ELECTION, THEY ARE NO GOOD FOR THIS ISLAND AND IT’S FUTURE
but just enough time to park your car and deliver another official complaint into County Hall.
Yes indeed……
Why half an hour? hardly time to get to a shop let alone browse. Come on its all dying in front of your eyes so why not go for at least an hour, I for one would shop there a lot more if I could just have more time.
30 minutes !!! What use is that?
To shop where?? May as well just park in Morrisons, go to the bank and Boots maybe, shop in Morrisons, go home!! What else is there in Newport now?
After returning from Devon.
Why don’t all car parks/on street parking charge the same on the island as they do in Devon where they charge 50p per 30 minute.
I parked in next to Hursts and it cost me £1.40 for the same 30 minutes. No wonder shops are struggling.
SOONER THE BETTER