And You Think Parking Is Difficult Now

[rayer]

[Mr Mosquito]

[tompo]

I wonder how this will impact on our supporters on matchdays?

It does look to be yet another Lib-Lab-Con political trick to fleece financially hard pressed Bristolians of more money. The politicians say they're helping local residents with parking issues and at the same time are charging them to park outside their own homes. :noexpression:

If I lived back in Bedminster, or anywhere without off road parking, then I'd willingly pay £40 a year to be able to park outside my own property or at least pretty close to it.

Must be really frustrating for some people not even being able to park in the roads or streets where they live.

[Mr Mosquito]

If I lived back in Bedminster, or anywhere without off road parking, then I'd willingly pay £40 a year to be able to park outside my own property or at least pretty close to it.

Must be really frustrating for some people not even being able to park in the roads or streets where they live.

Hang on, those residents already pay 'Community Charge' to the Council so why should they have to pay to park as well? Why not give every house an alloted parking space? I've never heard of Toffs having to pay to park their limosines outside their mansions so this is fast becoming a class issue like everything else these days.

[tompo]

Hang on, those residents already pay 'Community Charge' to the Council so why should they have to pay to park as well? Why not give every house an alloted parking space? I've never heard of Toffs having to pay to park their limosines outside their mansions so this is fast becoming a class issue like everything else these days.

Do people who don't drive pay less council tax than those who do? Do those with more than one car pay more than those with one?

Don't see it as a class issue at all. I think the idea behind this is to deter commuter parking. What also needs to be addressed is why commuters park in these areas. There is a lack of affordable public parking and, more to the point, the fact that Bristol's public transport system is arguably the worst in the country in terms of price and service provided.

Perhaps you would think differently if you lived in a road where emergency services could struggle to get close to your house in the event of an emergency.

[Mr Mosquito]

Do people who don't drive pay less council tax than those who do? Do those with more than one car pay more than those with one?

Don't see it as a class issue at all. I think the idea behind this is to deter commuter parking. What also needs to be addressed is why commuters park in these areas. There is a lack of affordable public parking and, more to the point, the fact that Bristol's public transport system is arguably the worst in the country in terms of price and service provided.

Perhaps you would think differently if you lived in a road where emergency services could struggle to get close to your house in the event of an emergency.

Fair enough, some excellent well presented points you've made especially with regard to detering commuter parking. There is a lack of affordable City centre parking and it can be even more expensive than Bristol in the other major English cities. I find the buses on the main routes I use in Bristol to be on time and affordable, there again I don't use public transport in any other city to draw comparisons. I think it would be a good idea for the Ashton Gate Halt to be re-opened for matchdays to help our supporters get closer to the ground without congesting the area with cars. The Halt could be financed with a 'Toff Tax' to be levied against businesses such as Lloyds TSB whose senior employees have helped collapse this country's banking system by awarding themselves excessive bonuses.

[William Stand]

Hang on, those residents already pay 'Community Charge' to the Council so why should they have to pay to park as well? Why not give every house an alloted parking space? I've never heard of Toffs having to pay to park their limosines outside their mansions so this is fast becoming a class issue like everything else these days.

As Clifton & Southville are 2 areas affected by non residents taking up a lot of the parking I am not sure class really comes into the equation.

[rayer]

but if you have a second car, that gets charged £200.

Matchdays will be a nightmare to find a parking spot that is not a 'residential charge area'

[cheese]

Shouldn't worry about it - in a few years petrol will be so expensive only the rich will have cars anyway.

[Mr Mosquito]

Matchdays will be a nightmare to find a parking spot that is not a 'residential charge area'

Exactly, get Ashton Gate Halt re-opened for matchdays to help our supporters get closer to the ground via train without the hassle of having to find car parking spaces. The Halt to be financed with a 'Toff Tax' to be levied against businesses such as Lloyds TSB whose senior employees have helped collapse this country's banking system by awarding themselves excessive bonuses. Let the senior bankers pay for our transport - they've been getting a free ride at our expense for years now it's their turn to pay for our train ride.

[beaverface]

If I lived back in Bedminster, or anywhere without off road parking, then I'd willingly pay £40 a year to be able to park outside my own property or at least pretty close to it.

Must be really frustrating for some people not even being able to park in the roads or streets where they live.

That £40 doesn't even guarantee you a parking space either!

[windmillhillred]

Why not give every house an alloted parking space?

Because there are more cars than houses.

[Dollymarie]

Living where I do, ive had to do a bit of research into this, being as it may be one of the areas that gets affected by this eventually.

The permit just allows you to park, it doesnt actually guarantee you a space outside your house, just a permit to park in one of the permit areas, you still might be parked 2 streets away as I sometimes am. Thats the bit about this that disgusts me.

Also while I would happily pay £40 for a years permit, there are 4 adults living in my building, 3 of whom have cars, we wouldnt count as three seperate residents though, and so the total cost of our permits would be in excess of £650 per year, which we would struggle to afford between the three of us.

And yes I have a choice as to where I choose to live, but I also live above the child I look after so it makes sense for me to be here.

It was lovely over Christmas when the offices were all shut and the students had gone home, I was actually able to pick where I parked. Yesterday it went back to normal though. Its not the residents clogging up the roads, its the office workers.

[The Man In Black]

I work just off North Street and a lot of the residents there don't seem to want it - posters galore in the windows. To be fair it's pretty easy to find a spot in that area.

I lived in Swindon a couple of years ago (for my sins) and the centre has a similar scheme - you pay a yearly charge and then park anywhere in say zone 'C'. There are then limited 'park for two hours' areas for visitors or you can purchase tokens that you scratch off to park in a certain zone for the day. It is needed there as people would just park and walk the five minutes into town rather than using the car parks there. In some of the areas listed there is no alternative for workers so what of those (like me) that have to commute from outside the area?

Part of the issue with the areas listed is lack of off road parking - and with more of us owning cars we need somewhere to put them. The houses were never designed for multiple occupancies and car ownership.... maybe the council should have considered it before accepting all those planning applications to turn houses into flats?

[windmillhillred]

there are 4 adults living in my building, 3 of whom have cars, we wouldnt count as three seperate residents though

Depends - if you live in separate flats, and each pay separate council tax, you would count as separate residents.

Its not the residents clogging up the roads, its the office workers.

Stopping that's the point of the scheme.

[Dollymarie]

Depends - if you live in separate flats, and each pay separate council tax, you would count as separate residents.

No our landlady pays council tax on the basis of multiple occupancy because you can access all the flats from her place so it had to go down that way

Stopping that's the point of the scheme.

So then surely they should start charging office workers to park, and not the people who live here?

As in give people who can prove they live here the free parking, and charge the rest. Far too logical for our council though methinks.

[rayer]

Living where I do, ive had to do a bit of research into this, being as it may be one of the areas that gets affected by this eventually.

The permit just allows you to park, it doesnt actually guarantee you a space outside your house, just a permit to park in one of the permit areas, you still might be parked 2 streets away as I sometimes am. Thats the bit about this that disgusts me.

Also while I would happily pay £40 for a years permit, there are 4 adults living in my building, 3 of whom have cars, we wouldnt count as three seperate residents though, and so the total cost of our permits would be in excess of £650 per year, which we would struggle to afford between the three of us.

And yes I have a choice as to where I choose to live, but I also live above the child I look after so it makes sense for me to be here.

It was lovely over Christmas when the offices were all shut and the students had gone home, I was actually able to pick where I parked. Yesterday it went back to normal though. Its not the residents clogging up the roads, its the office workers.

I don't want to come across as rude, but how does this effect you as you are female and therefore shouldn't be allowed that far out from the kitchen anyway ?

[Dollymarie]

I don't want to come across as rude, but how does this effect you as you are female and therefore shouldn't be allowed that far out from the kitchen anyway ?

Cos I have to go to the shops sometimes to restock the cupboards, therefore I need food.

Last time you come round to pinch my biscuits then!

(and its affect )

[CiderHider]

Bristol was not designed for this level of traffic, its one of the oldest Citys in the UK and I think the council are ****** idiots for treating it and its people like utter s**t.

The funny thing is i worked for this department for 2 yrs and can tell you now that they don't give a flying crap about the City as a historical place, nor do they have the brainpower to look and see how it will effect the City in the long term, they just don't consider the consequences of anything! IN ALL DEPARTMENTS!!

They will, as always take the line of least resistance on big decision, Ive seen them do it time after time, and the popular vote will win, even if not the right one will be made. You would think local government would be the opposite, but its just not.

Sadly, these people who will be implementing this are so dam stupid its a tragedy, profit above culture, spending for the sake of it above rational forward thinking. No radical thinkers in BCC, oooh no, just pen pushing jobsworth drones.

Bristol City Council attracts the very worst people in society on the whole, Basically anyone who cant get a job elsewhere, the social misfits, the drug addicts, criminals, the lazy, skiving types, immigrants who flee their own country because they cant be buggered to help fix it, so they come here are screw ours up! Thanks a flippin bunch! but at least we filled our ethnic quota, yey! Brownie points from the Home Office!!! wooo yey.

rant over.

[leepeacock's50phead]

So then surely they should start charging office workers to park, and not the people who live here?

As in give people who can prove they live here the free parking, and charge the rest. Far too logical for our council though methinks.

Funny how that side of it hasn't been mentioned isn't it? Don't wanting to upset big business may be a reason.

If It were up to me, I would make it compulsory for people in office-based jobs (whom spend the vast majority of their time IN the office) living outside the City to use park and ride schemes.

Not sure why we should all suffer without recourse from the pollution they bring to our city 5 days a week anyways.

[WTFiGO!?!]

There is a lack of affordable public parking and, more to the point, the fact that Bristol's public transport system is arguably the worst in the country in terms of price and service provided.

This is the issue neatly skirted around once again by this bleedin', poxy council.

Perhaps instead of fobbing innocent people off with this running/adminstration costs nonsence -akin to BCFC's £1.10 booking fee imo- they could invest the money into a decent and desperately needed tram system?

I'm a proud non-driver, btw

[leepeacock's50phead]

Bristol City Council attracts the very worst people in society on the whole, Basically anyone who cant get a job elsewhere, the social misfits, the drug addicts, criminals, the lazy, skiving types, immigrants who flee their own country because they cant be buggered to help fix it, so they come here are screw ours up! Thanks a flippin bunch! but at least we filled our ethnic quota, yey! Brownie points from the Home Office!!! wooo yey.

rant over.

so, which one of the above were you?!

[chowie]

I believe the council thinks a Congestion Charge scheme will solve all of Bristol's traffic problem :noexpression:

[CiderHider]

so, which one of the above were you?!

*COUGHS* Sorry, what was that?

I almost cover them all - if I'm being honest.

One thing that stood me out though was my love for Bristol, I did actually care.

[leepeacock's50phead]

*COUGHS* Sorry, what was that?

I almost cover them all - if I'm being honest.

One thing that stood me out though was my love for Bristol, I did actually care.

correct answer!

But wouldn't we have to pay more council tax to employ a more productive council than from the groups you've mentioned?

Can't see that being too popular

[simon uk]

Bristol was not designed for this level of traffic, its one of the oldest Citys in the UK and I think the council are ****** idiots for treating it and its people like utter s**t.

The funny thing is i worked for this department for 2 yrs and can tell you now that they don't give a flying crap about the City as a historical place, nor do they have the brainpower to look and see how it will effect the City in the long term, they just don't consider the consequences of anything! IN ALL DEPARTMENTS!!

They will, as always take the line of least resistance on big decision, Ive seen them do it time after time, and the popular vote will win, even if not the right one will be made. You would think local government would be the opposite, but its just not.

Sadly, these people who will be implementing this are so dam stupid its a tragedy, profit above culture, spending for the sake of it above rational forward thinking. No radical thinkers in BCC, oooh no, just pen pushing jobsworth drones.

Bristol City Council attracts the very worst people in society on the whole, Basically anyone who cant get a job elsewhere, the social misfits, the drug addicts, criminals, the lazy, skiving types, immigrants who flee their own country because they cant be buggered to help fix it, so they come here are screw ours up! Thanks a flippin bunch! but at least we filled our ethnic quota, yey! Brownie points from the Home Office!!! wooo yey.

rant over.

amen brother!

I work near the centre, and drive in from Bradley Stoke and park in a side street, and used to live in Ashton so I know both sides of the argument. I got the bus for years but I ended up spending 3 hours a day sat on my rear and paying a fortune for the pleasure for buses that usually didnt show up, now I get home in 20 minutes (on a good day). If there was a tram (not subject to the traffic), say from temple meads into the centre I would certainly consider it, but the council needs to come up with a proper alternative before nailing the motorist again IMHO.

Si.

[leepeacock's50phead]

whats with all the class stuff red goblin? itsn't the old class system a bit redundant in these times?

[Mr Mosquito]

This is the issue neatly skirted around once again by this bleedin', poxy council.

Perhaps instead of fobbing innocent people off with this running/adminstration costs nonsence -akin to BCFC's £1.10 booking fee imo- they could invest the money into a decent and desperately needed tram system?

I'm a proud non-driver, btw

Bristol did have one of the finest tram systems in the country apparently. All ripped up by order of the Government before I was born so I didn't get to benefit from it. As far as I'm aware, the only town with its original tram system still in place is Blackpool.

"In the years following the Great War, Bristol a pioneer of the electric tram - had the largest fleet of open-topped trains in the world."

Source: http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h...l%3Den%26sa%3DG

[The Man In Black]

No our landlady pays council tax on the basis of multiple occupancy because you can access all the flats from her place so it had to go down that way

So then surely they should start charging office workers to park, and not the people who live here?

As in give people who can prove they live here the free parking, and charge the rest. Far too logical for our council though methinks.

To a degree I agree, and that's as someone that is an office worker.

We have an office car park but it's sometimes full so I have to park on the road.

[Mr Mosquito]

whats with all the class stuff red goblin? itsn't the old class system a bit redundant in these times?

The class system in this country is still very much in place with - most noteably and surprisingly - Labour Party politicians now establishing themselves as a new self-serving plutocratic elite at taxpayers' (our) expense.