Parking fees confirmed

Long-stay free parking in Southwell is to end.

Newark and Sherwood District Council’s cabinet has agreed to introduce charges at the town’s Church Street and King Street carparks.

Almost a third of the spaces at each carpark are occupied for more than four hours by the same vehicles, prompting claims they are not being used by shoppers and tourists.

Cabinet member Mr Peter Harris, a Southwell councillor, said: “There is an issue of long-stay parking in what should be a short-stay arrangement.

“We should be promoting the economic vitality of the town centre. We are not promoting that economic vitality because people are coming in to park and getting a bus elsewhere.”

It is accepted that people working in Southwell often park all day in the carparks.

Mr David Payne, the cabinet member with responsibility for carparks, said others drove into Southwell then took a bus to work in Nottingham, Mansfield or elsewhere to avoid parking charges.

The first two hours parking will still be free in Southwell, followed by charges of £1.50 for the next two hours and £1 an hour after that.

The charges will be reviewed after a year.

Mr Payne said there was no agenda to raise costs and decrease time available for free parking.

The installation of parking signs and ticket machines at Church Street and King Street will cost £19,500.

To retain the two hours of free parking Southwell Town Council agreed to continue paying the district council an annual fee, expected to be £4,940 for 2008-9.