Newcastle Car Parking Charges

[RedLeader]

Spotted this in the Newcastle Rocks Blog:

Newcastle may have previously escaped the introduction of charges by the local Council for local authority-owned car parks, but now Department for Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy has his eyes on the wallets of of local drivers. As part of a budgetary plan to raise millions of pounds of new revenue for the Department, he has targeted Newcastle and 26 other local towns for the introduction of on-street parking charges. At the same time, the Department is planning to raise the level of parking charges. The Minister plans to have the charging schemes up and running by March 2012.

http://newcastlerocks.org/2011/01/20/cutswatch-how-the-budget-cuts-affect-newcastle/

Hope they're not going to start charging for parking in Donard Car Park.

[LandyLiam]

Eeks, that could be pricey for  doing the overnighters, I've been meaning to get an annual permit for meelmore lodge anyway, its £35 for a year so I should easily get my moneys worth there.

[RedLeader]

I didn't know Meelmore did annual passes. Is it for a specific car or can you use it on several?

Eeks, that could be pricey for  doing the overnighters, I've been meaning to get an annual permit for meelmore lodge anyway, its £35 for a year so I should easily get my moneys worth there.

[LandyLiam]

I think its car specific but I can't imagine they'd be too trigger happy with the clamping machine 

[darren]

i really hope this does not happen.
its just another way to het money from people.
once an idea like this comes along it will sadly probably happen.
it could drive tourists away.

[LandyLiam]

i really hope this does not happen

but you don't drive 

Actually i don't mind too much, councils have to raise money, i'd prefer taxing "luxuries" like parking close to the shops rather than just forcing it on everyone through rate rises. We can park further away and avoid the charges, it will make us fitter  and if we do have to park in town then we have more chance of actually finding a space  I just know i'm going to eat my words when i get my first parking ticket