Introducing parking charges at Fort Victoria on the Isle of Wight would have a “devastating” effect on businesses and “kill the place”, car park users have warned.
The mood at the historic beauty spot near Yarmouth was downbeat this week as locals and visitors absorbed news of sweeping tariffs proposed for car parks and streets across the Island.
Fort Victoria Country Park is the Isle of Wight’s largest and most popular country park, owned and managed by County Hall.
Its myriad attractions include a Grade II-listed 19th century fort, the sea view Cafe Verdi, coastal woodland, a nature trail and rock pools.
One visitor from Cowes said:
“We’re not going to pay £3.60 for a couple of hours just to go and have a coffee that’s going to cost us another £6 or something. It’s going to hit the trade. It’s going to drive holidaymakers away.”
Another said people haven’t got the money to pay for parking and that with lunch, she said:
“It makes a very expensive afternoon.
Article continues below this advertisement “It’s beyond a joke now.”
A third harked back to the introduction of parking fees in Totland, a place she lamented “used to be vibrant”.
“They introduced parking charges down there and it killed it. The cafe shut. I think it would be the same here.”
Berit Anderson meanwhile pointed to the many costs now involved in UK holidaymaking, especially with the expense of ferry travel and over the summer holidays.
He said:
“People can go elsewhere, fly off somewhere like Spain.”
The new charges, which are subject to consultation, will be considered as part of a range of savings plans coming before the economy, regeneration, transport and infrastructure committee (ERTIC) next Tuesday (6th October).
A council report signed by Simon Moon, strategic director of community services, advises the proposals are agreed for recommendation to the policy, finance and resources committee for adoption in the council’s budget setting processes.
It says the ‘financial challenge’ is the single biggest risk to sustainable public services on the Island.
The document says:
“Accordingly, the council needs to resolutely maximise the deployment of the resources that it does have (revenue, capital, property and staff) towards driving additional income/funding and cost savings to secure council services for the future.”
Fees are proposed for areas including Union Street in Ryde, Sandown’s High Street, Regent Street in Shanklin, the Wheelers Bay and Eastcliff car parks in Ventnor and the new Royal Exchange Car Park in Newport.
