Parking Pay Machines Destroyed

[bad company]

This seems to have started a lively debate in Cornwall. The locals really didn’t want the parking charges.

Vandalism or justified activists?

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/la...

[POIDH]

Vandals

[CMTMB]

Vandals who will achieve nothing other than costing the tax payer more money.

[Drawweight]

Been happening in North Berwick as well.

[mac96]

If it can be established whether or not the council are entitled to charge for the parking by a check with the Land Registry for £117 why didn't the council do that before wasting money on ticket machines etc?

It's still vandalism though.

[Wills2]

The idea that both local and national government has its hands in your pockets at every opportunity does grate, given that we've been in worse positions before financially yet managed to find alternatives to grasping every penny available, the councils do seem to have an unending stream of money when it comes to projects designed to take their constituents' money whilst offering very little in return for the vast majority of them, so I get why some would feel justified in doing this, whilst not condoning it.

Of course the appropriate course of action is to stand for election and change the policy not vandalise the machines, good luck finding witnesses though, councils would be wise to connect new revenue schemes with positive outcomes, we're going to raise X so we can keep the swimming baths open (as an example) but what seems to happen is the revenues rise and the swimming pools still close so people feel frustrated, but there is always money for speed bumps to knock hell out of your suspension.

The local council carpark in Skipton used to have a 30 minutes pop n shop charge of 20p that's now 50p a 150% increase, zero explanation, zero benefit just an enormous rise because they can...

Edited by Wills2 on Wednesday 1st July 10:45

[J4CKO]

I have felt like this in Wilmslow, not as I object to paying its that the machines are fking hopeless.

Often out of action, so have to wander round between all three which then means there is a queue of often befuddled folk trying to get it to work.

It takes too long, like a three minute operation, then often fails.

Cant read the screens in bright sunlight.

I got a fine despite trying three times to pay, I appealed and no credit given for the ten minutes dicking about, they wanted me to try other machines, it was raining and I was only going in for bread and milk ffs.

So, yeah, I have fantastised about throwing a tyre over them and setting it alight.

[thetapeworm]

We had this fairly recently around the Leeds area, car parks at local parks and beauty spots that used to be free got machines installed along with support via an app for when they were inevitably vandalised.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpv49p02wvmo

"The charges were introduced to pay for car park maintenance and help the council plug a multi-million pound budget gap"

What the vandals didn't grasp was that people parking there still had to pay even if the machines didn't work so they just made life a bit harder for those without app access.

I visited Otley Chevin a week or so ago, one of the sites where these were installed and then vandalised, they're fully operational now after repairs but people just pay the whopping £1 cost for a couple of hours parking or as seemed to be the case for the majority just park along the roadside next to the car park for free.

I don't begrudge a small cost but the car park was full of potholes so it rather than using this to fund other shortfalls it would be nice to see it being reinvested back into the place where the charges are being made.

[JoshSm]

thetapeworm said:

What the vandals didn't grasp was that people parking there still had to pay even if the machines didn't work so they just made life a bit harder for those without app access.

The secret there is to nick all the signs.

[Rusty Old-Banger]

I hate paying for parking. I took the kids to the cinema at the weekend and the parking cost more than the tickets.

BUT.

Object legally and objectively. Vandalising the machines means less money to be spent elsewhere.

[bad company]

Rusty Old-Banger said:

I hate paying for parking. I took the kids to the cinema at the weekend and the parking cost more than the tickets.

BUT.

Object legally and objectively. Vandalising the machines means less money to be spent elsewhere.

My understanding is that the locals did object to the parking charges and raised a petition which the local authority ignored. I’m not condoning vandalism but what else could they do?

[RizzoTheRat]

Wills2 said:

The local council carpark in Skipton used to have a 30 minutes pop n shop charge of 20p that's now 50p a 150% increase, zero explanation, zero benefit just an enormous rise because they can...

I used to live near Aldershot, on street parking within a short walk of the shopping centre was free so it was convenient to just nip in to town to pick something up.
Then they started charging for on street parking. If I'm going to have to pay anyway what's the point in going to the small shopping centre in Aldershot when there's a far bigger range of shops in Farnham or Guildford? Last time I went in to Aldershot there weren't many shops left, so by charging for the parking the council have presumably done themselves out of a lot of rent.

[ralphrj]

bad company said:

My understanding is that the locals did object to the parking charges and raised a petition which the local authority ignored. I m not condoning vandalism but what else could they do?

What relevance does the petition have? A petition carries zero legal weight.

Their choice was either:

1. Establish if there really was a covenant agreement for the land to be used by the public, free of charge and force the council to back down via the courts
2. Pay to use the parking
3. No longer use the car park.

The vandal will be a dog owner - they are the most self-entitled people in human history.

[Rusty Old-Banger]

bad company said:

Rusty Old-Banger said:

I hate paying for parking. I took the kids to the cinema at the weekend and the parking cost more than the tickets.

BUT.

Object legally and objectively. Vandalising the machines means less money to be spent elsewhere.

My understanding is that the locals did object to the parking charges and raised a petition which the local authority ignored. I m not condoning vandalism but what else could they do?

Move.
Run for office with "no paid parking" on their manifesto.
Park elsewhere. (The realistic option)
Use a form of transport that means you don't need to park (the other realistic option).
Accept that paid-for parking (which, if you can afford to drive, you can afford to pay) funds both the maintenance of the car park, and pays for parking enforcement in places that annoys/inconveniences others, as well as other services.

[Spare tyre]

I’m work away from time to time, in cities I’m not familiar with

Parking is frustrating, different apps, some you have to pay on arrival others on departure et
Some you need a law degree to decipher when you have to pay etc

It stops me visiting city centres in the evening for food as I can’t be arsed with it all / potentially getting a parking fine on “work time”

Last night I drove to an out of town place, just because I couldn’t be bothered - lazy probably


Southampton used to have sensible parking in the evenings, you can park for free after x time, now it’s all tied down - so don’t visit and goto Winchester instead

I appreciate everyone wants to make money but it’s tiring

You even have to be careful stopping for a rest in the middle of the night with anpr out to get you

The other one that is a bit of a ball ache is Ev charging, you arrive then realise you might have to pay on top of the charging, in the day time when it’s busy I get it, but as night it’s just another frustration

[CMTMB]

Rusty Old-Banger said:

I hate paying for parking. I took the kids to the cinema at the weekend and the parking cost more than the tickets.

I hadn't realised how expensive parking has become. I live in quite a rural area and rarely pay for it.

I took my kids for some lunch in the city centre on Sunday. Parking on the street used to be free on Sundays not so long ago, I was expecting to pay a few pounds - it cost £14 ! I won't be doing that again (which is exactly what they want).

[bad company]

CMTMB said:

Rusty Old-Banger said:

I hate paying for parking. I took the kids to the cinema at the weekend and the parking cost more than the tickets.

I hadn't realised how expensive parking has become. I live in quite a rural area and rarely pay for it.

I took my kids for some lunch in the city centre on Sunday. Parking on the street used to be free on Sundays not so long ago, I was expecting to pay a few pounds - it cost £14 ! I won't be doing that again (which is exactly what they want).

You say ‘it’s exactly what they want’ but, what happens when those city centre businesses close down and stop paying rates?

[steveo3002]

car park use dropped 50% lets build some flats on it

[Leon R]

It all goes back to accountability.

More than happy to collect money from local constituents at every opportunity but are seldom held accountable for consistently delivering.

[catso]

Rusty Old-Banger said:

I hate paying for parking. I took the kids to the cinema at the weekend and the parking cost more than the tickets.

BUT.

Object legally and objectively. Vandalising the machines means less money to be spent elsewhere.

Objecting legally and objectively will go nowhere though.

Not condoning vandalism but, I can understand the frustrations.