We received notification today that the Tory-led coalition currently in control of Durham County Council is proposing to introduce parking charges at Crimdon.
Although the reasons set out in the correspondence we received are focused on the need to 'manage occupancy' we are also aware that the coalition Cabinet's proposals to introduce charging were set out in the appendices of the latest Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) which was considered by Cabinet earlier this month.
The full MTFP papers can be found at agenda item 5 in this link: Agenda for Cabinet on Wednesday 11 October 2023, 9.15 am - Durham County Council
After reading through the report in the link above we hope you'll agree with us that introducing parking charges has very little to do with 'managing occupancy' at Crimdon. Instead it looks as though the Cabinet's proposals are driven by nothing more than the need to mitigate the impact of 13 years of Central Government cuts to local authority budgets. In effect these proposals are nothing but a cash grab on our communities.
Our position as the two local members is clear. We are firmly opposed to introducing parking charges at Crimdon. We think the council and its partners should be doing everything they can to attract visitors to the Durham Coast, and we believe that parking charges will have the opposite effect by pushing visitors away.
Let the council 'manage occupancy' as best it can, but not in a way that puts the viability of Crimdon as a visitor destination at risk.
If you share our concerns about plans to introduce parking charges at Crimdon please let the council know by responding to the consultation at: TrafficConsultations@durham.gov.uk
For information this is the notification we received today:
Good afternoon,
Durham County Council is the only local authority on the north-east coast to offer free parking in car parks at the coast.
Crimdon Dene coastal car park is often operating over capacity, and it is therefore proposed that a charge be introduced to manage occupancy, increase turnover and increase expectation of a space being available for visitors.
“No Waiting At Any Time” restrictions will also be introduced within the car park in conjunction with the proposed charges to prevent obstructive parking outside of the designated bays in the immediate area.
The proposed charges to be introduced will be £1/hour; £3 all day.
If you have any comments on these proposals, we would be extremely grateful if you could return these no later than the 10th November 2023.
Kind regards,
Strategic Traffic Management Team
