We’re not surprised to see recent comments on Facebook about the increase in parking charges. What has surprised us is that it’s taken nearly three weeks from the revised prices to light the blue touch paper and see the fireworks fly.
» ‘What shall we do to encourage visitors? I know raise the parking charges [including] till 11pm at night... that should help’
Actually, visitors (as opposed to residents) expect to pay for parking. It’s part of the package. When you visit other parts of Wales or England, is that not so?
Whether in such a small town they expect to pay right up to 11 pm is another matter. It does mean an added £8 a night for someone parking in the nearest car park to the Wetherlodge hotel (Market Street). It’s £4 in long stay car parks, though.
We foresee an increase in random parking on single yellow lines (whether permissible after hours or not). This to the detriment of the town and those who live in the town centre.
» ‘Since the charges were raised the car parks are empty and so are the shops in Ruthin’
I’ll have to report that there’s no difference in the number of spaces taken and no difference whatsoever in terms of footfall. It has to be said that both were poor well before the change in prices. Anyone regularly in the town centre will know this.
Denbighshire last put up car park charges last in 2016. During that eight years the cost of parking has actually fallen in real terms. Yet, it is during this period that footfall has, too. We would conclude that there are other influences at play as to why people are not shopping in town centres e.g. Amazon and other deliveries.
» ‘Denbighshire need to take a leaf out of Flintshire’s book. Their parking charges are reasonable. Even with high fuel prices it’s cheaper to shop there’
Parking charges will be part of the decision-making process. If you’re in two minds then it’s possible that parking could sway your decision. But you wouldn’t make your choice based on parking charges alone.
So, if you want to shop in a larger town where there’s more choice, fair enough. But it’s illogical to travel to Yr Wyddgrug/Mold just to save on parking. Assuming 40 miles per gallon and 22 miles return Rhuthun to’r Wyddgrug then at Rhuthun prices the cost of petrol alone without other associated running costs is £3.70. That buys you almost a day’s worth of long stay parking in Rhuthun. At Loggerheads unleaded prices, that’s £3.57.
March 2024 car running cost figures suggest that the true cost per mile makes this £7.03. Then, there is the time to get there and back at about 45 minutes.
» ‘Quite reasonable compared to other places in UK’... and the retort... ‘Not considering it is a small town with less [i.e. fewer] shops...’
We are a small town but we punch above our weight. We have more shops than we think.
Remember that Denbighshire hasn’t increased prices since 2016 and the cost of parking in real terms 2016 to 2023 has actually fallen.
» ‘£8 for all day? It’s £4 in Denbigh’
£8 is the short stay price and we believe the thinking is to ‘price off’ those parking longer to long stay car parks. This allows a better ‘churn’ of spaces in the short stay car park. All day in a long stay car park in Rhuthun is £4.
We’re not suggesting £4 is ideal but it’s certainly cheaper than £8.
» ‘Plus in the large Mold car park the spaces are wider so you are able to open the car door wide enough to get out’
We’d have to measure them to be sure and they may well be but I bet not by a lot. Virtually all car park bays are to a standard width. They are in Rhuthun/Ruthin.
Larger spaces = fewer spaces. Fewer spaces = fewer cars. Fewer cars = higher ticket prices per car, to ensure the same yield.
» ‘Not so good for the elderly or infirm to walk uphill most of the way from Crispin Yard [the point being that older or less able people who park in Market Street have to pay the premium short stay rate or walk the hills]’
If Market Street were the same price as long stay car parks, self-evidently people would stay longer in Market Street. This would block spaces. This would probably have a disproportionately negative impact on older or less able people.
» Ask Ruthin Town Council to consider subsidising parking
This is a very good idea and worth pursuing. But where would the funding come from? From you and me: from the 2,800 homes in town (not those in the villages and not from visitors). This would be disproportionate, as the town council precept would shoot up. Have you noticed in the local paper that the 2024/25 town council precept has already increased at a rate higher than inflation, anyway?
» ‘I bet it doesn’t give change’ and ‘I bet it doesn’t take cash’
What’s remarkable about both these comments is that the writers don’t know the answers. Unless they were being rhetorical, of course. We assume that they never actually go anywhere near the town centre. There are few parking machines giving change anywhere in Britain and Rhuthun/Ruthin’s no exception.
That’s not to say that situation is acceptable. It isn’t.
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Parking