Premium rate parking

Jamaica Place, Gosport

I have to admit I rarely visit Portsmouth city centre shops. But when I do I usually park on the old Tricorn site.

For ages it was £5 a day then it went up to £6 and now on my latest visit it is £8.60.

At a time when we are trying to get people back into our city centres, why has NCP hiked up the price again? It’s cheaper than Brighton but dearer than Southampton.

Hill Head have the money or not?

The report says that it could be a slice of the government’s transforming cities fund of a £117m, which will not leave much of the fund left for other cities.

The report then goes on to say it is not known where the cash for the framework will come from, but could be paid for by a mix of government grants and council funds. What sort of deal is it?

I assume this deal with Tarmac is in addition to the council’s contract with Colas, which still has a few years to run and is proving a costly contract to PCC, unless they have managed to renegotiate the original contract terms.

What amazes me is the fact that both the present transport boss, and the opposition transport boss, thinks that this will help the growth and prosperity of the city, and also secure Portsmouth as an economic powerhouse.

It might do if it ever gets off the ground, but we have been here before.

Both political parties are at fault. We have had £50m city deal money sitting in the city coffers and earning interest which they could have used to sort the city centre travel situation out years ago, and at less than it will cost now. The money was meant for the regeneration of Tipner, but could be used for more urgent purposes so long as that money is available when needed.

Nothing has happened in the way