Yahoo News Southend Council considering extension of controversial seafront parking charges
Southend Council is considering extending controversial evening parking charges to a town centre car park. The unpopular seafront 6pm to 9pm charges brought in by the Labour-led administration could be introduced to University Square Car Park, which could stay open to midnight in future.
The council projects a £120,000 loss for the car park, which is close to restaurants, bars, cafes and a cinema on London Road. This is predominantly down to the cost of security staff required because the car park, which currently closes at 9pm, has a lift in operation.
Speaking at a meeting of the policy and resources scrutiny committee on Thursday, Daniel Cowan, leader of the council, said: “It used to be open until midnight. It’s only chargeable until 6pm and we’ll need to take a view whether it’s the sort of place where we might want to put a nominal charge on in the evening to cover the cost.”
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Mr Cowan added: “It’s an underutilized car park. It’s our only covered car park in the city, but because of the lift, it needs to be staffed. The only other option is that we shut it at 6pm and then it can’t be used at all, which I don’t think would be of benefit to the city, so we’ve got to look at how we balance that and get it useable in the right way and wiping its own face.”
Colin Campbell, Conservative councillor for Southchurch ward, said businesses would welcome a late-night car park. He said: “Staff in restaurants and cafes want to stay open later but they don’t feel safe enough parking, whereas that car park is a good one that’s quite lit up and staffed.”
In response Mr Cowan said: “It’s my personal intention that the car park is open until midnight but that would create and additional cost pressure. I’m looking at how do we do that in the right way. My preference is for it to be open to midnight and there to be a flat rate, a nominal fee after 6pm, which I think would be a reasonable cost and it would also put up that car park not just for staff but patrons of local restaurants and cinemas.”
James Courtenay, leader of the Conservative Group, said: “My concern is there isn’t enough detail yet. I get the idea that it costs to keep it open because of needing to have security there, but I’d like to know what that cost is. What is the plan for a nominal charge?
“Is it just going to be that car park or is it going to be a nominal charge across the rest of the town centre? Is it a slow creep into 6pm to 9pm charging across there or if not I struggle to see the point of putting a charge on one car park and keeping the rest free. Surely you’d just go and park in the free car park.”
