Free 1-hour parking is set to launch in Newport next week as part of an initial 6-month trial to tempt more shoppers into the town centre, but it is going to cost local taxpayers at least £20,000.
From Monday (23rd May), shoppers and visitors wishing to park for up to 1 hour can park for free in short stay car parks at Lugley Street, Sea Street and Chapel Street/New Street.
Drivers still need to collect a free pay and display ticket from the parking machine and display it in their windscreen, or register their parking on the PayByPhone parking app.
For stays of over an hour, a ticket for the full parking session must be purchased at the normal tariff. For example, if you want to park for between 1 to 2 hours, you will need to purchase a 2 hour ticket.
The Isle of Wight Council and Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council are working in partnership on the pilot which aims to increase high street footfall and boost trade for local retailers and independent shops.
The initiative is part of the Shaping Newport partnership programme that brings together business and councils to develop a new future for the county town.
Colin Burgess, vice-chair of Newport Business Association, said:
“I hear continually that the cost of parking is a barrier to people visiting our town.
Article continues below this advertisement “Let’s remove this barrier by providing some free parking, attract shoppers back to the town centre and boost the economy in Newport.
“If this trial is successful we hope to roll out more initiatives along these lines.”
Councillor Shirley Smart, chairman of Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council which is contributing an initial £20,000 towards the trial, said:
“It is essential that we encourage both our local residents and tourists back into our town, which is why we as the local community council proposed and funded this parking experiment.”
Councillor Phil Jordan, Cabinet member for highways and infrastructure, said:
“As the local economy continues to recover from the pandemic it is vital that we work to support local businesses.
“Working with our partners, we are fully committed to working on a range of innovative projects which will support our towns to thrive and prosper in a post-pandemic society.
“These schemes demonstrate the commitment to work with the town and parish councils across the Island in bringing the best outcomes for their communities in a joint approach and by working together in partnership.”
Nothing like shuting the gate after the horse has bolted. This should have happened years ago before the rot set in, there’s not that many decent shops left now. Also busniess rates could also be reduced?
Who the hell thinks of these ideas. FACT. expensive business council tax. Greedy landlords charging eye watering rents. With these overheads its a wonder any business has survived. Planning permission for out of town heavyweight stores easily obtained by them, all with free parking. An hours free parking, yeah that will sort it. come on get real. Too little too late
Pointless as there is 2 hours free parking at Morrisons.
To visit what shops? They really have no clue do they.
Why oh why do we pay these twits
About time too!
Ideal to pop into the Island’s main post office for a change, sort my parcels out, and have a quick gander in Woolies and HMV at the latest releases.
Might even pop in Thorntons and get a treat.
Happy days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes,those good old days
Far to late, the high street is dismal and uninviting there is very little left of interest in the centre of Newport. Out of town shopping developments are far more appealing and far more interesting and cheaper than Newport.
The town Centre like many others around the Country are dying before our eyes, high rents, parking costs along with lack of investment and a little thing called the internet, have ensured the end of many town centres as is the example set by our Capital Town.
Who really pays to park in Newport?
Don’t forget that: 1. Parking used to be free in Lugley car park on Wednesdays after 1pm; 2. You can park in Lidl, Morrisons, M&S and Sainsburys car park for longer than that without the collecting a free ticket faff and appealing a fine when the ticket blows off the dashboard 3. If you need more than an hour, you don’t get the free hour. It’s too little/not enough too late. But I like that it’s a ‘trial’ – let’s not fully commit. Pathetic all round.
I think the ghost walk man should organise something. A tour of the retail units of yesteryear. Woolies, HMV etc. I’m sure there must be spirits of long departed shoppers, floating through empty premises admiring the merchandise. How exciting!
Mind, with the amount of empty shops, it’d probably take more than an hour.
Such generous benefactors our dearly beloved and wise council.
Now, all of you peasants, on bended knee, give praise thanks appreciation to your masters.
Not a brain cell between them !
Temp back intoo town too see what?too do what? Its dead already thanks too our greedy council rates.its not even got a post office no more! Disgraceful.
What shops there are are tat…overpriced rubbish or charity.
Next itll be nationwide gone !
Seems to me the Council have dug themselves into a big hole having to rely on income from parking (£20k) when it should never been applied in the first place!. I doubt if this initiative will make much difference for the period proposed, taking it away permanently it might!
Excuse me it is going to cost local tax payer’s at least £20-000….
For what ?????
I had the misfortune of having to go to Newport this morning, The Bank and a
Holland and Barrett ….
And off nothing else worth looking at ….
So what is the point of ripping us off when apart from charity shops and bookies is there ????
Totally ridiculous ….
The £20k goes to paying the managers bonus and pensions,he can’t miss out!
I dont know why you all all moaning – you wont even need an hour as the place has nothing but empty shops or trash outlets. Can get round it in 10 minutes – nothing to see here!
It is not free, it just means more tax for us all to pay. The best thing they could do with Newport is bulldoze the lot of it and build a brand new shopping site along the lines of West Quay in Southampton. It might be worth a visit then.
Hang on! What about the cost of the fuel to get to exciting Newport !! From ryde it’s not worth it unless we have to go, Like to my bank soon. Cheers Barclays! We already have to pay tk park after six at the seafront now which is ridiculous! It’s stopping people from taking their evening walks with pets if they live too far out. It’s so unfair now
ha ha online shopping for me Newport is just a dump now 5yaers to late
Absolutely fuming over this! Why the hell would you limit potential shoppers to one hour? Even when you are prepared to pay, most places will only let you park for two. I don’t get over to Newport very often but when I do, I like to look round, have a spot of lunch, browse the few remaining nice shops, try on some clothes and have a good rummage in the charity shops. This is currently almost impossible, with the result that I have to shop at breakneck speed and gulp lunch. This stupidity is suffocating our many lovely small businesses into extinction. Why don’t you encourage people to STAY and SPEND MONEY? How much more simply can I put this?
I’m really pleased they’re doing this, though I do feel there shouldn’t be any charges anyway. I hope this will help the shopkeepers.
However, I don’t understand why it’s costing us £20,000. Do they mean they won’t earn 200k which is quite different?
Complete waste of time!
Just shows up the council for the mugs they are. Newport is akin to a scene from the blitz unfortunately. Who wants to visit a place like that?
There doing it at a difficult time with cost of living crisis but good luck to them
Breaking news, Isle of Wight finally catching up with the rest of the country where they offer the 1st hour free! 6 months my backside, should be permanent!
Tempt them back to what !!!!!
You cant resuscitate something thats dead
Too little to late Newport is an absolute disaster the council should have seen this long ago look at Union Street
Ryde a very nice shopping area
High Street ? Drove through yesterday, seems pretty Low Street to me , sad state of affairs … find some worthwhile grants / subsidy’s to attract businesses to the town without shattering business rates & rents that only inhibit growth in a challenging market … how many parcels of Amazon get delivered on the island ..? Retail isn’t exactly buoyant anymore
Oh wow no coincidence that it’s tourist time then ? Just time to pop to get an awful burger, how is this going to help ,they have no idea !