Should local residents have to pay for parking on Exmouth beach/seafront?

By ALGrace at 09:00 on 29/06/09

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Should local residents have to pay for parking on Exmouth beach/seafront?

By ALGrace at 09:00 on 29/06/09
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That would be lovely, but I can't see it happening! I think all parking should be free for everyone, locals and visitors alike. People would have more money in their pockets to spend with local businesses. Why don't businesses offer incentives eg "spend £10 in my shop and I'll pay for you to park for 3 hours"! Too complicated perhaps. So, why not a free parking day every week? Seafront and town car parks. Think of the publicity for Exmouth and the boost to the economy of the town.

By angi21bc at 16:41 on 14/02/10
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Sorry, but the last thing we want is even more cars coming in to Exmouth town centre. It is not a green solution to the problem, and might even add to the town's current car-parking predicament, with even more vehicles trying to find places to park in our already very cluttered streets. Sure we want to get more people into the town, but not in their cars.
I suggest there should be no free parking anywhere within Exmouth. Instead we could have residents' parking zones with efficient monitoring and enforcement of those zones. In addition, fees for the town centre car parks could be increased dramatically to encourage people not to drive in to the town centre.
The money raised from the zone permits and the increased car parking fees could help to fund a very large car park on the outskirts of Exmouth, with free car parking in that car park for residents unable to find a parking spot within their zone in the town. Visitors would also be encouraged to use this outside town car-parking facility so that they don't bring their cars into the town centre. Efficient park-and-ride facilities would then bring people into the town from the large out-of-town car park using regular bus shuttles.
That's the sort of tough green stance that we need to get us out of what is fast becoming a huge problem for the town.

By TheGreenMan at 15:54 on 15/02/10
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What a good idea. I didn't think of park and ride! I believe the town is served by a fairly good network of buses for locals, but a park and ride for visitors makes perfect sense.

By angi21bc at 16:49 on 15/02/10
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The out-of-town car park I propose would ideally be sited say 12-15 minutes' walk from the town centre so that it could be walkable for most residents when the park-and-ride buses are not running (very early in the morning, or late evening). Ideally, of course, it would be great if the old train lines to Budleigh, Sidmouth and so on could be reinstated, but that's too much to expect...

By TheGreenMan at 18:46 on 15/02/10
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Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't this discussion started about free parking along the seafront?
I think charging locals or visitors is wrong because as was stated, people will be more inclined to spend money with local businesses (cafes, pubs, ice creams, boat trips) and also cause less of a nuisance by those trying to find a residential road to avoid this additional stealth tax on the already ripped-off motorist.
Cars are not a luxury item for most of us, but absolutely essential to live in the modern world and and an easy target to squeeze.
And on the subject of a park and ride for the town, what location within a 15 minute walk would this be feasible, given the amount of space that could be required?
As for the old railway routes, they're currently doing good service as walking and cycle routes already apart from where plots were bought years ago and built on....

By mustavafag at 17:13 on 19/01/11
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Hi mustavafag. The discussion switched to the town centre parking problem because ang21bc was suggesting a free parking day every week for seafront AND town centre car parks. She said, "Think of the publicity for Exmouth and the boost to the economy of the town."
Although I'd like to see the town's economy boosted, the last thing we need is even more cars coming in to the town centre. The London Inn car park and the Imperial Road car park are often chock-a-block as it is, with cars cruising around the side streets looking for any available parking space. Having a weekly free parking day could make things considerably worse. In addition, it's not a green stance to take. And we need to think greener in this day and age.
My out-of-town park-and-ride scheme was just a suggestion. On reflection it needs to be rethought.
So how would you tackle Exmouth's car parking problem, both on the seafront and in the town centre?

By TheGreenMan at 18:49 on 19/01/11
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Hi there GreenMan. Firstly, I think it's fundamentally flawed to try and encourage people to the seafront and then rip them off for the 'privilege' of leaving their car. Not only that, but buy a ticket from the wrong machine (i.e. the other side of the road because the one nearest doesn't work) and you'll be fined too as the parking rights are divided between East Devon and Devon County. I believe we also happen to be one of the few areas where disabled blue badge holders aren't exempt from charges... what does that say to our visitors? As you rightly say, the towns economy needs a boost but there's precious little to encourage them in as it is, unless they're trawling the charity shops for bargains.
The one positive currently is the free evening parking, lose that and we'll see even less revenue in the pubs, clubs, cinema and sports centre.

By mustavafag at 22:12 on 21/01/11
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Well, the notices are now displayed along the seafront detailing the ALL-YEAR ROUND parking charges, starting 1st April.

I have listed the new charges on: http://tinyurl.com/4slm3x6

Click on the photo of the notice to zoom in, and again if you need to.

By emsie72 at 12:51 on 13/03/11
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Crikey! Thanks emsie72. This is quite a development. No free parking out of season, all of the way along Exmouth's seafront, including Queen's Drive and the view of Orcombe Point? Awful news. I see that this is for the Devon County Council meters. Presumably EDDC will follow suit? Nightmare...

By Keyboardman at 11:18 on 15/03/11
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