Car park review could see longer charging season (From Western Telegraph)

Car park review could see longer charging season

12:10pm Sunday 17th February 2013 in County News

Plans to review the management of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority’s 48 car parks could increase the charging season by as long as three weeks.

Members were given an update on the review by director of delivery and discovery James Parkin last week, who said park officers have been in discussions with Pembrokeshire County Council and other agencies to explore cost savings and improved management.

Mr Parkin outlined a three-phase review of car park management which would take around two years.

He said the authority’s legal powers were a priorty and needed to be “bolstered”

to address issues such as overnight parking.

The park has submitted a number of proposed revisions of its ‘Off-Street Parking Order’ to the county council, which will soon be running a full public consultation on the changes.

The main changes include an increase in the charging season from the current timetable of April 1st- October 31st, to March 15th to November 7th, and altering the charging period from the current 24-hour scheme to 9am to 5pm to bring the car parks in line with Pembrokeshire County Council’s. The order will include all charging car parks, with no new charging car parks introduced.

The second phase of the review will involve discussions over more ‘joined up’ management arrangements with local agencies, and chief executive Tegryn Jones admitted there were discussions underway with the county council regarding car park management.

Cllrs Peter Morgan and Lyn Jenkins expressed concerns about extending the charging season, as they feared it could displace vehicles onto local roads, as the dates for enforcement on public roads differed from the new proposed charging season.

Mr Parkin said: “We are trying go get as much scope for our policy as possible.

What we choose to do can be separate to the order.

“We don’t have to enforce at all.”