Crumbs! As of 8 a.m. today till 17 January 2010, Denbighshire county council is offering free parking in Rhuthun’s Park Road car park. Not just that, it will provide free parking elsewhere in Rhuthun after 3 p.m. This is quite an offer and we should applaud the council for it.
In all, that’s a total of 41 days free of charge (when excluding eight Sundays, where charges apply but shops are closed; two town council-nominated free days; and three bank holidays, when no one is in town anyway).
Park Road long stay is the least busy of Rhuthun’s car parks and the most remote. Nevertheless, once word gets out, we can see it being well over-subscribed. Here, there are 50 lined spaces for cars, three for coaches (one taken permanently by a mobile home) and an unlined area that could no doubt also be used (unless you can get booked for not occupying a lined space). Saturday lunch time, the Rhuthun/Ruthin Blog Car Park Watch Team noted an occupancy of 38 per cent, which means there would’ve been just 31 empty spaces available. Book early to avoid disappointment!
What are the consequences and effects of this decision?
The town council is offering free parking all day on Saturdays 5th (produce market day) and 12th December 2009. What better opportunity do you need to shop for Christmas at Rhuthun rather than face the crowds at Chester or wherever?
In all, that’s a total of 41 days free of charge (when excluding eight Sundays, where charges apply but shops are closed; two town council-nominated free days; and three bank holidays, when no one is in town anyway).
Park Road long stay is the least busy of Rhuthun’s car parks and the most remote. Nevertheless, once word gets out, we can see it being well over-subscribed. Here, there are 50 lined spaces for cars, three for coaches (one taken permanently by a mobile home) and an unlined area that could no doubt also be used (unless you can get booked for not occupying a lined space). Saturday lunch time, the Rhuthun/Ruthin Blog Car Park Watch Team noted an occupancy of 38 per cent, which means there would’ve been just 31 empty spaces available. Book early to avoid disappointment!
What are the consequences and effects of this decision?
- There will be a loss of revenue to the council, as people transfer from other car parks to Park Road. Those of you who say “so what?” might care to remember that others of us pay council tax.
- People having paid for a season ticket may feel somewhat aggrieved.
- Workers and Park Road residents will be tempted to block Park Road with all day parking, saving £3.50 per day.
- It will be interesting to see if trade picks up in town after 3 p.m. or whether people simply switch their morning arrival to the afternoon.
- We will find out whether car parking charges are such an issue. Will people continue to use existing paid for car parks rather than use a free, more remote one? Will free parking generate more trade & visits, or will broadly the same people come in but for free?
- This might free up on-street free parking with its limited waiting, though no doubt people will wish to park as near as they can to where they want to go.
- This will benefit the lower reaches of Clwyd Street most and the opposite end at Well Street least.
The town council is offering free parking all day on Saturdays 5th (produce market day) and 12th December 2009. What better opportunity do you need to shop for Christmas at Rhuthun rather than face the crowds at Chester or wherever?
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Parking