Editor
I was interested to read the article in Pevensey Bay Life (Action over on-street parking, 17 March) regarding on street parking accompanied by a photo of Pevensey Bay, from which, the conclusion can be reached that the bay is a target for parking decriminalisation as mooted by Wealden District Council in the article.
Disturbingly, Cllr Standley in confirming that public car parks within the district will remain ‘free at the point of delivery’ gives rise to the suggestion that, like Eastbourne before it, parking in the Wealden towns and villages will become metered.
Equally disturbing is the suggestion that East Sussex County Council, who already operate to great financial benefit in Eastbourne and Lewes, and who already have a robust enforcement and administration system locally, may become involved.
We learn that the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, Katy Bourne, attended a meeting of Wealden Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee on January 30 when the problems associated with the lack of parking enforcement in Polegate (part of Wealden) were raised.
The committee minutes show:
‘Mrs Bourne explained that parking enforcement was not a priority at the current time and police funds were directed towards other initiatives, such as the employment of more firearms officers, working with communities to deal with low level anti-social behaviour, and to fund expert youth teams to work with colleges and schools. She advised that the Leader, Councillor Standley, had met with the Chief Constable the previous week to discuss parking enforcement and local councils were being encouraged to take over enforcement in their areas’.
‘Councillor Standley informed members that he was looking at the various options with regard to parking enforcement. However, he stated that parking enforcement was not self-funding.
Councillor Standley can be assured that parking enforcement is not only self funding, but extremely effective at revenue raising once meters are installed and I am confident that East Sussex County Council would rub their hands together with glee if appointed to manage areas of Wealden District Council as the revenue raised would revert to them and their enforcement company and it’s unlikely that money would be devolved to the District Council – road surface and potholes would not be any better attended to.
As the costs rise, so too will the parking charges and wider spread will become the target roads, be them residential or not.
Should Pevensey Bay be within the scope of this scheme we can note that many of the retail outlets facing Eastbourne Road carry signs advising that the parking bays fronting them form part of their leases and surely these must fall outside the scope of Wealden’s proposals.
Were this to be the case there is very little highway parking in Eastbourne Road to make a scheme worthwhile.
Thus the tentacles widen, Richmond Road affecting the GP Surgery, Western Road, Bay Road, Wallsend Road and Collier Road. All fair game. Then the enforceable hours start to lengthen affecting the night time economy and residents.
Pevensey Bay has a vibrant, successful hospitality and service industry, businesses have invested hugely in their enterprises and deserve support.
The village does enjoy a beneficial parking system, which I have never heard is abused. W
hen decriminalisation and the meters arrived in Eastbourne, it is said, that Hailsham, Polegate and Pevensey Bay benefited.
Should the cash cow of decriminalisation arrive in Pevensey Bay and the meters move in, people will gravitate further to the retail parks. P
Pevensey Bay’s economy is perched on a parking precipice, let’s hope it doesn’t fall off.
Jayne Howard
