Extra parking-charge options: trial to start
A one-year trial of new parking tariffs in some of Scarborough’s car parks has been approved.
Scarborough Council will add the option to allow people to pay to park for up to five and eight hours in order to encourage visitors to stay in the town longer.
The trial will be carried out in the Eastborough, Marine Drive, Quay Street, West Pier, South Bay Underground and the Spa Drive and Forecourt car parks, all in Scarborough.
Previously, patrons only had the option to pay to stay for one, three, six or 24 hours.
The new tariffs will be charged at £6 for five hours and £8 for eight hours.
Approval for the trial was granted by the council’s cabinet member for Neighbourhoods, Cllr Tony Randerson.
A report prepared for Cllr Randerson stated that the added options for motorists had been requested by traders.
The report adds: “Through recent discussions with local businesses, it has been suggested that patrons of the local car parks have queried the lack of choice in relation to the durations of stay available and the associated tariffs on offer.
“An example provided is that visitors arriving midmorning are reluctant to purchase a 24-hour ticket.
“It has been suggested that such visitors are more likely to purchase a six-hour ticket.
“The option of an eighthour ticket would allow visitors to stay later into the evening without purchasing a 24-hour ticket. This could result in benefits to the evening economy.”
The shorter five-hour tariff will also be trialled following feedback.
The changes are due to start on May 26.
The end is finally in sight l to a long-running legal challenge that has led to Scarborough Council’s accounts not being signed off for the last five years.
The council’s 2017/18, 2016/17 and 2015/16 accounts have been held up as the authority is locked in a legal battle with a group of residents over how it classifies income and expenditure from Whitby harbour.
The delays then hit the 2018/19 accounts and the row has now stretched into 2021.
The authority’s auditors Mazars said it had now provided the council with a Statement of Reasons setting out its determination of the objection relating to the 2015/16 accounts. Once the council has responded the issues relating to the later accounts will be addressed and the decision will be made public.