Parking charges to be reinstated in Talacre as council looks to tackle ‘inconsiderate’ parking

Parking charges are set to be reinstated at a popular beach resort as a local authority looks to address “inconsiderate” parking. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Fees have been suspended at council-owned pay and display car parks across Flintshire during the coronavirus pandemic to increase footfall for businesses. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

However, the deputy leader of Flintshire Council said free parking had caused problems in Talacre, which attracts visitors from around north Wales and north-west England. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The car park generates approximately £20,000 worth of income for the authority each year, which is partly used to enforce on-street parking restrictions elsewhere in the village. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Speaking at a meeting of Flintshire’s ruling Labour cabinet on Tuesday (May 18, 2021), Cllr Carolyn Thomas said: “In March, the cabinet made a decision to continue with the suspension of town centre car park charges until the end of June, with the option to extend it to the end of September as part of a package of initiatives to help town centre businesses recover from a pandemic. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“That has not changed and this report is just looking at Talacre. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Talacre is a specific destination car park and is not classed as a town centre. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“It welcomes visitors from the locality, but also from all over throughout the year.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

She added: “While the visitors are welcome, parking provision is restricted and it’s been a long term concern of the council due to the negative impacts of inconsiderate parking on local residents. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Cabinet is asked to approve the reintroduction of parking charges in its Talacre car park.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Cabinet members agreed to reinstate parking charges in the village, as well as introducing fees for a new park and ride facility which was recently built on Deeside Industrial Park. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The car park forms part of the North Wales Metro project funded by the Welsh Government and has 192 spaces, including six electric vehicle charging points, nine disabled bays and an area for motorbikes. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

It is designed to help people to get to work in places where there is limited parking using regular shuttle bus services. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Parking fees will be charged at a rate of £1 a day or £48 a year with a business permit. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here). ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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