£5,000 daily cost of parking charges to Eastbourne

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 1st Apr 2009

Official figures have revealed the scale of the money leaving Eastbourne's economy every day because of the unpopular parking charges.

A County Council scrutiny report to their 'Transport and Environment' committee has revealed that around £5,000 is being spent every day on 'pay and display' parking machines around Eastbourne's town centre.

Local campaigner Stephen Lloyd, who led the campaign against parking charges, said, "The Conservative-controlled County Council's own report shows that residents are being forced to spend £1,560,000 every year on the unnecessary 'pay to park' scheme - a shocking £5,000 every day."

"The kick in the teeth is that not a penny of the money collected is coming back to Eastbourne and official estimates suggest it could be years before we see any financial benefit. Instead they money is going to unpopular parking company NCP. Residents across the town have complained that many of their parking wardens have also been heavy-handed and over-zealous in issuing fines."

"The County Council's report reveals that in Lewes, where a similar parking scheme has been in place for five years, local people have yet to see any financial benefit from the charges."

"Nine out of ten people didn't want the parking charges to begin with. Now they are here, it is clear to everyone in Eastbourne they have failed dismally. At a time of recession, 'pay to park' is hitting local people and local businesses hard. It's time to scrap the parking charges."

"The parking charges are costing residents £5,000 every single day. Just imagine how that money could be spent improving services around our town."

Gorringe Road resident and anti 'pay to park' campaigner Pat Rodohan added, "Residents and local businesses were angry that their views were ignored when the parking charges came into force last year. Now local people are feeling the affects of the scheme. We are already seeing many people parking on roads around Upperton, as they simply don't want to pay the expensive parking charges in the town centre."

"There is now a serious threat that 'pay to park' could be extended out of the town towards the Upperton area. Local residents should not be forced to pay to park outside their homes."