Cashless parking charges will be introduced to an East Cowes car park despite local opposition and a potential future housing development.
The Isle of Wight Council’s cabinet came to an agreement on Monday evening to implement fees at the Maresfield Road car park in East Cowes – just like any other council car park across the Island.
Going against officer recommendations, however, to introduce the fees as soon as possible, making the authority £4,000 in a year, Councillor Phil Jordan, the cabinet member for transport and highways, added a caveat.
He said the report had not made it clear the site was earmarked for housing under the social prosperity fund that in a couple of years time, would have to be built and while he recommended the charges be introduced, it would be subject to a project assessment takes into account the timeframe for the housing to be delivered, working out how long the land would remain a car park.
According to the deal with Homes England, the Isle of Wight Council has until 2024 to develop the site — which includes Venture Quays and the Albany Barracks — or the land would have to be sold back for £1. This could mean parking charges are only introduced for the next 18 months.
Councilllor Jordan said in the 3-months it has already taken to bring the charges forward the council would only make £3,000 in fees and it was spending money in officers’ time and effort to potentially return very little.
With the council under significant financial pressure, other cabinet members pointed out every penny the authority can make counts.
The proposal had been met with considerable concern, Councillor Karl Love for East Cowes said, with a petition from 75 local employees objecting to the change, they argued the loss of free parking would impact local residents and motorists would park on surrounding residential streets instead but council officers insist there is no evidence of this.
To avoid set-up fees, vehicle users will only be able to pay for parking via their phone.
Between 08:00 and 18:00 the new parking fees will be:
- £1.70 – up to an hour
- £2.90 – 1 to 2 hours
- £4.80 – 2 to 4 hours
- £6.20 – 4 to 6 hours
- £9 – 6 to 10 hours
What about those people who don’t want to use a phone to pay, or even have a mobile phone? So unfair, but then again do we expect anything different from this lot, no of course not.
huh – so councillors actively discriminate against those who do not have a mobile phone – technology apartheid -they are only doing this because they can then sack the person who collects the money from the machine.
I definitely won’t be parking there. I know they’re planning to eventually do away with cash machines in car parks all to do with going digital, phasing out cash. All wrong should leave things alone. All part of the reset.
Not everybody wants to or can make cashless payment.
This is disgusting and short sighted by a council who is depriving a town of its customers by being greedy and introducing parking charges to a place which is out of town and the majrity of its users are working and contributing to the east Cowes economy
I don’t mind free parking but could I also use to store there some other things than cars then if it’s paid from my taxes? I don’t have one but could use some space for a grill.
Another nail in the coffin for local traders. Nice job IW council.
Why can’t they do card payments ?????
Still think it’s ridiculous phone only …
Money grabbing council !!!!!
Essentially this is discrimination by the Council. Against those who do not have a phone or do not believe in keeping payment data on them.
Not acceptable. This is blatant discrimination against those who do not have mobile phones, the council should be ashamed of themselves
Short sighted money grabbing idiots making residents lives a freaking misery fighting for parking spaces with people who are just trying to go to work in the area, pitching residents against workers.
They say there is no evidence for this but local workers aren’t going to pay £9 a day to go to work, that’s not viable. By the time it all comes to light what’s going on it will all be too late and unreversable.
How is a local authority able to legally discriminate negatively to its council tax payers?. I couldn’t pay by phone. How are they getting away with it ?. £3000 will be lucky if get £1000. Local streets will have no parking for residents. The less well off and those struggling will loose out more. £4-80 to park couple of hours. More business’s in East Cowes will close and council will loose thousands more than they get from carpark!.
I am so tired of IWC I cant even really be bothered anymore, other than to say to IWC: – you STINK like 6 week old unwashed nappies. Given the age demograph on this island there are a fair few who cannot or are unable to use a smartphone etc to make payment. Active discrimination.
Just boycot parking there and they won’t get their 4K
Again deaf people are left out we do not have mobile phones as we cannot hear them you are suppose to make things accessible to all.
“Councillors said there is no evidence of this “. !!!!……COUNCILLERS DONT LIVE in Albany road or Maresfield road ….,,,yes ,..some of the workers do park here as we see every morning …company’s that big should supply parking …
And also it’s about time Red Funnel sorted the road markings on they’re botched new exit to stop cars pulling onto the pavement Infront of pedestrians using pavement ….
Someone obviously doesn’t live in East Cowes …
Already coming in a hour earlier to make sure I get parking on the road won’t be using the car park any more