Seafront Parking Petition

UNPOPULAR parking charges may go ahead on the seafront, despite strong opposition and a 500-strong petition.

New 6pm to 9 pm parking charges are being proposed by the Labour, Independent, and Lib Dem parties in an attempt to bring in revenue the council needs.

Marc Miller, chairman for the Seaside Partnership and managing director at Adventure Island, launched a petition calling to “Stop the Rip-Off Seaside Parking Charges.”

Mr Miller and other traders say that the proposed increased in charges will negatively impact seafront businesses.

He said: “The knock-on effect [of the charges] will be an erosion of trade, not only for the seaside businesses, but also the ones who benefit from the spin-off, including the Pier, which already loses money under council management.

“The cold, hard facts are investment will be cut, jobs will be lost, and the city will slowly finish up a second-rate seaside resort with the associated social problems that go with it.”

Speaking about the response to the petition, which runs until June 3rd, Mr Millar added: “500 signatories all for Southend reflects the depth of feeling is against these exorbitant charges.”

With a new Labour-led coalition now in place following a hung result at the local election, Daniel Cowan, Labour leader, reportedly said that the seafront must help balance the budget, saying: “we need to see what state the council’s finances are in.”

Refusing to be drawn on decisions regarding the parking, and whether the Cliffs Pavilion car park would be brought into the new charges, Mr Cowan reportedly added: “These are all things we will take a look at. I don’t want to pre-empt the outcome of a petition.”

Visit: democracy.southend.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=89&RPID=30810749&HPID=30810749.

Read more.

Visit: https://leigh-on-sea.news

Contact us. Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leighonsea.news

Twitter: @leighonsea_news

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leighonsea.news