Residents angered by 400 per rises in car parking charges

North East Lincolnshire Council claims charges need to rise from £15 to £80 a year to cover the costs of running and policing on-street parking in Grimsby and Cleethorpes town centres.

But residents are “incandescent” after receiving questionnaires setting out charges – which include having to pay £100 on top for a second car (previously £15) while businesses would have to pay £150 per pass (now £15).

The council says streets will only continue to be classified as part of the residential parking scheme if 70 per cent sign up in favour – 
but some feel opting out isn’t a choice.

Park ward councillor Andrew de Freitas (Lib Dem) said: “The Labour council is going out of their way to alienate people.

“We accept that the charges need to be reviewed. A maximum of £40 with adequate policing of the area would be reasonable.

“They are saying you can’t have more than two passes per household, but in the area there’s a household with four professional people, who each have a car, and they have got the same letter.

“Quite honestly the council haven’t really thought this out. The question posed by some people is – is it the council’s intention to cheese people off that much so they opt out of the scheme and then you will have chaos?”

A meeting has been called for residents tomorrow at 6pm at St Augustine’s church hall, on the corner of Farebrother Street and St Augustine’s Avenue. Secretary of Park Ward Action group Brenda Dixon said: “People understand that this has to go up, but this is stupid. It’s 
just too much. If we opt out we are within 500 yards of the town centre and everyone who works there will take our parking places.”

Coun Peter Wheatley, portfolio holder for regeneration and environment, said there’d been no increases since 2003, adding: “The increase to £1.50 per week from 30p per week is necessary to ensure that the scheme covers both its administration and operations costs and enables all permit areas to be properly enforced.”

The council says depending on consultation, parking schemes will continue “or some schemes may be removed allowing unlimited parking by all”.