On 22 Oct 2012 at 6:58pm Grimey wrote:
Simple - too expensive. It's free in Tesco, Asda etc etc for a reason - it encourages people to shop. So stop charging in Lewes (and Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath) and maybe people will come into town more. And the shops might survive the recession! Still fine the over-stayers though...
ps. How's the ridiculous enforcement outside Laura Ashley going now they cannot clamp?!
On 22 Oct 2012 at 6:59pm Ed Can Do wrote:
You can park for free at Tesco then walk five minutes into town.
Just saying...
On 22 Oct 2012 at 7:03pm Grimey wrote:
Agreed but eventually they'll twig and get those barriers working.
STOP THE PARKING CHARGES NOW!
On 22 Oct 2012 at 7:10pm Ed Can Do wrote:
No, they won't. Part of the deal when they built Tesco was the provision of general parking for the town. Tesco HAVE to let people park there for free or they lose planning permission for the building (Or something like that, knowing our council probably not any serious consequences but still).
On 22 Oct 2012 at 7:22pm grimey wrote:
Is that a fact? Then why the barriers? I guess so they can charge those that cannot produce a tesco's receipt...
On 22 Oct 2012 at 8:15pm S wrote:
Because I think you're allowed to park there for three hours free of charge and without visiting Tescos. I'd guess the barriers are if you overstay.
On 22 Oct 2012 at 8:27pm Townie wrote:
What barriers ?
On 22 Oct 2012 at 10:01pm the old mayor wrote:
I don't understand why the shop keepers don't play the game with the council and open Sundays, when parking is free then close on Mondays so no one needs to pay for parking. Apparently the shop keepers all go to church/Pub then so they can't open Sundays !!!!
On 23 Oct 2012 at 1:22am Peasant wrote:
Free parking in Ringmer for bank, post office, butcher, baker, vet, dentist, doctor, chemist, hairdresser, pet shop, wool/toy/card shop, off licence, estate agent, chip shop, Indian & soon Dominos and replacement greengrocer.
No wonder the Ringmer bank is now open 9.30-4.00 5 days a week & business there booming. Still two empty shops, new leases available on realistic terms, so why not bring your business here?
On 23 Oct 2012 at 8:26am C Sense wrote:
Spot on Peasant - Ringmer is ideal, it's free, it's flat and you can park easily (for free).
The sooner the Town Councils realise that they're stiffling business by charging for parking the better.
I never pay for parking unless I can claim it back from work but this means that Haywards Heath is not on my list of shopping venues and I rarely go to Lewes and BH.
On 23 Oct 2012 at 9:28am Merlin Milner wrote:
C Sense. Unfortunately it has nothing to do with the Town Council. I wish it were. It is predominantly a County scheme. There are some 'improvements' on the way.
On 23 Oct 2012 at 9:52am Sussex Jim wrote:
Improvements, when applied to roads, generally means making life more difficult for road users, like narrowing roads or installing humps. That is probably why MM has used the commas '...' There must be an opposite word we can use- deprovements? .
We are lucky in that the repair bill from the damaged parking machines has prevented such 'improvements' as build-outs on the Offham Road ,which would only slow down traffic when two vehicles are passing, but cause more pollution and frustration to drivers.
On 23 Oct 2012 at 10:37am Merlin Milner wrote:
By improvements I mean to the parking scheme. Such as no bank holidays charges and shorter operating hours. A proper improvement to me would be the cesation of the scheme!
ESCC never insured the meters when the scheme was started. Unlike the old car park meters and those in Tunbridge Wells for example.
On 23 Oct 2012 at 11:38am Ticket wrote:
ps. How's the ridiculous enforcement outside Laura Ashley going now they cannot clamp?!
They have changed the signs outside Laura Ashley so they now issue £100 parking tickets instead of clamping.
On 23 Oct 2012 at 3:01pm Bus wrote:
Why dont people just get the bus into Lewes instead of complaining about parking?? You cant complain about the frequency of the buses and plenty of stop off points in the town.
If not then just pay to park and stop moaning!! or walk.....rollerskate, skateboard, cartwheel...whatever you want 
On 23 Oct 2012 at 3:04pm Dan wrote:
Ringmer is ridiculously overpriced, boring and full of old farts.
On 23 Oct 2012 at 3:31pm Irrelevant Steve wrote:
Hehe - Ed Can Do said 'do do' on another thread! Tell all your friends. Potty mouth.
On 23 Oct 2012 at 5:13pm Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
It seems bonkers to drive home from work just to get the bus back into town if I need to do a bit of shopping!
Some people have to park in town to visit people in connection with their work: carers, social workers, district nurses etc. They don't have a choice in the matter. Of course, they can claim back their parking fees, but they still have the aggravation of finding a place.
The whole scheme should be abolished imo.
On 23 Oct 2012 at 6:20pm Revolt wrote:
Come on people - rise up and somehow get rid of paid parking in Lewes...
On 24 Oct 2012 at 1:50am Me wrote:
ps. How's the ridiculous enforcement outside Laura Ashley going now they cannot clamp?!
They have changed the signs outside Laura Ashley so they now issue £100 parking tickets instead of clamping.
Which of course aren't worth the paper they are written - totally unenforceable.
On 25 Oct 2012 at 3:02pm Johnathan wrote:
I do not park in lewes because i do not own a car and can not drive!
On 25 Oct 2012 at 4:09pm Blip wrote:
Did you park your brain somewhere, Johnathan?
On 25 Oct 2012 at 6:58pm takemybusinesseleswhere wrote:
I pay my council tax and yet I am expected to pay for parking in Lewes as a resident! Ha ..NO CHANCE.
Whilst this situation continues I shall happily spend my hard earned money in the other towns that allow free parking. I feel sorry for the local businesses but I'll not spend money on parking in my own town.
On 26 Oct 2012 at 10:16am Johnathan wrote:
Blip --it is parked next to your sense of humour by the look of thing's!
On 26 Oct 2012 at 12:20pm Pedant wrote:
Johnathan, what is that apostrophe doing there? It's yet another irrelevance!
On 27 Oct 2012 at 4:17pm Realist wrote:
Well done, Pedant! If you can spare the time, and have the will, please correct the awful spelling and punctuation on other Forum posts. People should not be proud of ignorance.
On 29 Oct 2012 at 11:54am ITS-ME! wrote:
As somebody who actually worked at Tesco many years ago when they put the barriers in I can explain a bit.
Tesco like most Super Markets offers a couple hours free parking for its customers. Obviously it is the closest free parking to the centre of town and people started to use it a s a general car park. Tesco decided to exercise its right to control parking on its property as many people who used the car park were not actually using the store. The barriers were put in and people would still get their two hours free parking if the ticket was franked at a till.
There was one small problem with the plan...the general belligerence of the Townspeople of LEWES! People started to just unbolt the barrier, or force it up breaking the mechanism and in some cases just driving through it! Cost of repair and the general hassle forced Tesco to give up on the idea!
Many years later thinking about it as somebody who travels to many historic towns as part of my work and I see Lewes lacks two things that many other towns have:
1) A multi-story car park close to the centre of town.
2) A park ride scheme.
I feel there are a few suitable discrete sites fairly close to the centre of town that could be converted into a multi story (how about the land next to the Ambulance depot?
In respect of Park and ride again there must a suitable field alongside the a27 that could be converted into a park and ride car park!
Going back to the Tesco car park, not that long ago some greenie hippy protesters were outside Tesco complaining of how the company was bleeding the small businesses of Lewes. Considering Tesco offers the only short term free parking close to the town centre I would think Lewes small businesses should be grateful to the company!