On 4 Oct 2008 at 8:26am Smiler wrote:
TWO Lewes shops are closing and have both blamed the town's parking restrictions.
CH Seymour Ltd in Fisher Street has been trading in Lewes for 47 years.
Lewes Motor Factors in Friars Walk has been a popular independent shop since 1995.
Both have closed their doors last month.
They said businesses had been hit hard by the unpopular on-street parking charges which are collected by NCP staff on behalf of East Sussex County Council.
Simon Newman, owner of Lewes Motor Factors, a motor spares and accessories shop, said: 'I don't want this to come across as sour grapes but we had ten successful years before the on-street parking charges were introduced.
'We started from nothing and I think we provided a reasonable service at reasonable prices.
'But our business fell by 30 per cent in the first year of the parking charges.
'People don't want to take a chance on not getting back to the car in time and getting a 35 fine, and others think why pay 60p to park just to buy a 45p bulb.
'We do need parking controls and the scheme has some good points but it needs to be more flexible and I don't believe people should have to pay for on-street parking.'
Ken Holt, managing director of CH Seymour Ltd, said the company will continue to operate as an electrical contractor from the first floor of the same premises.
Mr Holt said: 'The parking restrictions have been a significant factor, compounded by the credit crunch.
'Since the parking scheme was introduced in 2004 our business in Fisher Street has steadily gone down each year.
'There is a difficulty for people coming into the town and the general feeling is that they're not coming to Lewes to shop but going to other towns where they can park more freely.
'Lewes has become an inconvenient place to park, particularly in our part of the town.'
On 4 Oct 2008 at 9:31am Angry of Lewes (Retd) wrote:
I have come out of retirement for one last campaign - and have forwarded the above to Stormin' Norman - probably won't achieve much - and I'm sure he is fully aware - but can't harm things to re-remind those "in power(!)" of our plight and the detrimental effect on our town caused by NCP skunks and vultures
Angry of Lewes (Late of Tunbridge Wells)
On 4 Oct 2008 at 2:57pm Ben wrote:
Isn't this APPEAL EVERY TICKET thing a bit counter-productive? All it will do is push up the administration costs of the scheme, which will be passed back onto all of us through increased charges. "Smash the system" is all very rock 'n' roll but what will it actually achieve?
On 4 Oct 2008 at 3:40pm Smiler wrote:
Ben, nothing else has made a blind bit of difference!
If you have a better idea make the taxpayers of Lewes' voices heard I would love to hear it.
APPEAL EVERY TICKET! is not just a rock 'n' roll slogan its about not getting ripped off by paying unjust tickets unnecessarily.
The increased administration costs can't be passed on to ESCC (ie us the taxpayer) if they are caused by incompetent and undertrained NCP parking attendants (surely!!)
On 4 Oct 2008 at 4:12pm Ben wrote:
Doing something counter-productive is worse than doing nothing. It's cutting off your nose to spite your face.
In your second para you say it's about "not paying unjust tickets". Which is what the appeal system is for. So are you saying the slogan should actually be "MAKE SURE YOU DON'T FORGET TO APPEAL EVERY UNJUST TICKET"?
How about starting a campaign for a 50-pound compensation payment to be made for every successful appeal?
On 4 Oct 2008 at 4:22pm The Minxorcist wrote:
Is the appeals committee/board completely independant, or is it made up of NCP and/or ESCC?
On 4 Oct 2008 at 4:37pm Smiler wrote:
Thats a good idea Ben, go for it.
On 4 Oct 2008 at 4:41pm Angry of Lewes (Retd) wrote:
How many shares you got in NCP then Ben? WHy not have the scheme run by local government so the money raised can be put to benfit the local area - NOT hived off in another sell out franchise - Lewes could use the money raise for itself not line you and other sharholders pockets Ben
On 4 Oct 2008 at 4:54pm Ben wrote:
Steady on, Angry. You can bet that NCP run it far cheaper than LCC or ESCC would. As far as I know, any surplus is spent on the local area. Except there wasn't any last year because apparently all 200k of it was spent on replacement parking meters.
On 4 Oct 2008 at 5:32pm Less Angry wrote:
there are still NCP shareholders/profits to consider I would think before any pittance percentage is handed back - whole thing needs a re-think - and should be open for debate - when does the contract run out? perhaps some locals should get together and present a more acceptable alternative??
On 4 Oct 2008 at 5:59pm Chav wrote:
hey angry, why do you advertise yourself as a (Retard)? Anyway, its nearly time for me to limber up and get ready to start blowing some meters. Ahhh, I like November!
On 4 Oct 2008 at 6:18pm Not Angry At All anymore (Retired) wrote:
I'll give you retard cheeky young whippersnapper - keep up your worthwhile campaign - good on you - INFLAME EVERY MACHINE and
APPEAL EVERY TICKET
On 4 Oct 2008 at 7:34pm Spinster Of This Parish wrote:
In the breakdown of our council tax, we used to pay for two full-time traffic wardens. Since NCP took over the policing of the parking, our council tax has never reflected the refund of funding those two posts - quite the opposite in fact. Where did our money go?
On 5 Oct 2008 at 7:15am council bod wrote:
i belive ncp contract is up for renewal this month
On 27 Nov 2008 at 8:42pm nec wrote:
you believe wrong
On 9 Feb 2009 at 9:56am Gagmaymnsesse wrote:
I would like to ask of you: How do you feel financial crisis in your life ?