Meadowhall may be forced to charge for Car Parking

The Times Online reports today that out-of town shopping centres may be required to charge car parking fees to shoppers.

from Times Online today

 

FREE parking at out-of-town shopping centres must be abolished to save traditional high streets from terminal decline and protect the environment, a government commission will recommend today.

 

The Commission for Integrated Transport believes that the lack of parking fees at centres such as Lakeside in Essex and Meadowhall in Sheffield is causing shoppers to use their cars and desert towns and cities.

 

It proposes that centres are forced to charge for parking and spend the money on better bus services and access for pedestrians and cyclists. Fees are likely to start at £1 per hour.

After 20 years of building out-of-town shopping centres, the powers that be have decided the city/town centres are short of shoppers.

Paraphrasing an old wartime saying "If it moves Tax It!" comes to mind.

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I don't see how charging people to park at Meadowhall will make them think "I know I'll go into town instead"

If the parking will be £1 a n hour it will still be way cheaper than town, we got charged £6.30 for 3 hours parking in the NCP last week, it's a joke.

I would certainly like to see any measure that would stop people using (and building) places like Meadowhall.

However, charging for parking is unworkable. The centre would just get around such systems by paying some kind of rebate or, if the government managed to stop that, by using points on a loyalty card, or any number of other methods.

The only way to stop people using Meadowhall (though why you would want to stop someone shopping where they choose is beyond me) is to offer the same things in town, free parking and some decent shops.

Meadowhall didn't kill town, town was dead before Meadowhall was built.

********, they are after every last penny.

So if Meadowhall do start charging, where will the revenue go? (Apart from creating a parking attendant job)

I would certainly like to see any measure that would stop people using (and building) places like Meadowhall.

 

why, the government isn't supposed to be into mass social engineering and neither are you.

I know of people from out of Sheffield who actually use Meadowhall as a 'park and ride' to do some shopping in town via the tram. Seems sensible to park for free and get the best of both shopping in town and Meadowhall.

Personally I would much rather shop in town but wouldn't dream of attempting to park there (unless I can borrow someone's blue badge ) because of the ridiculous expense - hence if I know what I need and don't have the time or inclination for a leisurely tram ride into town I will very often just go to Meadowhall.

Mmm the coffers are low, what ELSE can we tax.......

Typical Govt for you.

Z

I know of people from out of Sheffield who actually use Meadowhall as a 'park and ride' to do some shopping in town via the tram. Seems sensible to park for free and get the best of both shopping in town and Meadowhall.

 

Personally I would much rather shop in town but wouldn't dream of attempting to park there (unless I can borrow someone's blue badge ) because of the ridiculous expense - hence if I know what I need and don't have the time or inclination for a leisurely tram ride into town I will very often just go to Meadowhall.

How odd.

It's £2.50 for a dayrider, 40 mins each way on the tram.

If there is more than one person in the trip then they could get 4 hrs parking for <£5. And not waste 1h20 on the tram riding back and forth.

Typical government again!

Personally, I prefer to shop at Meadowhall cos town is a sh*thole

How odd.

It's £2.50 for a dayrider, 40 mins each way on the tram.

40 mins each way from Meadowhall to town? That's one hell of a slow tram you get on!