The solution to free short stay parking

I didn't make the council meeting this week where there was to be a debate about car parks in Ulverston so I'm not clued in to what  was said, however I thought I would throw in my two peneth here.

The above picture was taken in a little village called Hamble, which is very close to Southampton. Right in the centre of the village is a Council car park which had spaces for about 50 cars I would say.

We found the ticket machine and followed the simple instruction that said for a free half hour ticket press the green button. This I did and out popped a ticket with the time I had to return and the date stamped on it. As we were only popping to the shop for provisions this suited us perfectly.

What a brilliant idea. If we wanted to stay longer the charge was, I think £2 for an hour and more as the times increased. At another car park near to the riverside, where there were a few businesses the free time was extended to 3 hours free, 4 hours would cost you £4.

This is exactly what we should urge SLDC to adopt for Ulverston. There has always been a call for this idea but nobody could work out how you police free parking for a short period of time. Well here it is.

I can see there being an argument about not being able to recalibrate the existing machines to give out free tickets but hang on. They don't have to change the machines when they up the charges do they and if we want 3 hours it charges us more than for one hour. So just calibrate to machine to issue the first hour ticket free.

The amazing thing about the little village of Hamble was that this wasn't some struggling backwater, Hamble is awash with thousands of very expensive yachts, and Marinas. It is home to a thriving leisure boat fraternity who could well afford to pay for parking, but the council have chosen to offer free short stay parking.

So the technology exists, and I see no reason not to press for its adoption in Ulverston. It would benefit us locals popping into the centre for our bits and bobs and encourage more trade for our hard pressed high street traders.

I just hope somebody on our council who was at Mondays meeting had also come across this idea and brought it to the debate, if not then I shall make sure that I inform them all next time we meet.