Under 10% Used: Sandgate Parking Charges Income Flops But Hurts Business and Residents

A Sandgate Councillor has slammed news that the first full year of parking charges at Sandgate's Castle Road Car Park saw pay and display income of just £16,590. The income is massively under the prediction of £25,000 a year by Conservative Shepway Council when they changed the car park from being free to pay and display last year.

The income from pay and display parking for the 43 space car park averages at just 4 spaces being paid for at any one time.

Parking charges were officially imposed on 17 August 2009, and the £16,590 figure is for "pay and display" and "pay by phone" income to 17 August 2010. Prior to Shepway moving the car park to "Pay and Display", Sandgate Parish Council had paid up to £5,000 a year to Shepway to keep the car park free for motorists use.

Liberal Democrat Sandgate Parish Councillor, Season Prater, said:

"Time and again, local residents point out that the car park is pretty much empty since the parking charges have been introduced, but that parking elsewhere in Sandgate is much harder. The charges have driven users out of the car park and onto local streets.

"A survey by the Sandgate Business Forum has shown that the massive majority of local businesses feel the introduction of parking charges at Castle Road have hurt their business. Local residents find it harder to park on the streets near their home. It's a lose / lose situation, and as predicted, Shepway have even failed to make close to the income they were predicting.

"I have asked for a meeting with Cllr Malcolm Dearden, who is the Shepway Cabinet member responsible for parking. I want to show him the overwhelming opinion of local business owners and residents, and to beg him to consider making changes to the parking charging scheme at Castle Road car park. A car park which is empty most of the time is no use to Sandgate, and no use to Shepway.

"We need to look urgently at the cost of parking at Castle Road car park, the period of time that is chargeable and how to encourage users to use the car park and take pressure off local street parking. Free parking should be re-introduced, at least for periods of the day."

County Councillor for Folkestone West (which includes Sandgate) Tim Prater said:

"The figures show clearly that on average only 4 spaces in a 43 space car park are being used and paid for. That's bad news for Sandgate and appalling business from Shepway. Shepway Council need to adjust the times that are charged and the cost of the tickets to get maximum use out of the car park. A car park that is 90% empty due to these charges is literally a waste of space. The current charges are hurting local residents and local businesses and not even maximising the return to the Council."

If 4 parking spaces were full each day (from 8am - 8pm) with users paying for an hour at a time (£1.10), the income received would be £52.80 per day. The total income received by Shepway of £16,590 over the year averages at less than that at just £45.45 per day. On average, therefore, there are less than 4 spaces being used out of a total of 43.

On top of the pay and display charges, £4,695 of Penalty Charge Notices were paid. However, Parking enforcement in Shepway makes a LOSS each year, with the net cost of enforcement being higher than the income from tickets issued.