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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be angry about paying 80p/hr to park in all of our boroughs parks?

62 replies

exexe · 30/03/2012 10:17

Am I justified in being angry about this?

I have 2 young boys and we are always in the park. Last summer holiday we spent long afternoons in parks meeting up with friends, having picnics etc.
Now we have to pay everytime we go there. Its not close enough to walk.

Aren't we supposed to be encouraging our kids to be outdoors, playing sports and running around?
Just today I read an article about how kids to have lost touch with nature and are more into gadgets. Where else is the most conveniet place to get a bit of nature then going to the local parks, kicking up autumn leaves, feeding the ducks, getting excited about squirrels etc?

We pay a high council tax in this area too.
I've emailed them and our local MP but have had no responses.

I think this is wrong but am happy to hear if IABU

OP posts:
OrmIrian · 30/03/2012 10:49

exexe - there is a lovely park in the county town about 20 miles from us, Much better than any in our town. When mine were little we used to go there a lot. There was a road round the back of the park that was free - about 2 years ago they started to charge which was a bummer ...but then they spent a small fortune on a fantastic new play park with sand and water and a huge climbing frame. I guess you have to look at it as a very cheap trip out. Shame mine are mostly too old for it now.....

Moreamoxicillin · 30/03/2012 10:57

Parking here is £1.80 an hour, though council tax is pretty low, so I guess it all evens out.

2shoes · 30/03/2012 10:59

YABU it is £3.50 an hour here

Original poster
exexe · 30/03/2012 11:01

Gosh 2shoes where do you live? and is it some spectacular park or something?
Otherwise I think thats unreasonable.

OP posts:
WibblyBibble · 30/03/2012 11:05

Oh first world problems. You won't have to worry about it when the entire area is underwater from all the rich parents driving to the sodding park instead of 1. going to a local one 2. getting zomg 2 buses (what do you think people without cars do? 2 buses is really not a big deal!), so never mind eh. I don't see why the government should be 'encouraging' you to go to a park that is clearly outside your area just because you like it, there are other ways to get kids exercising. I refuse to believe this is your closest park either.

VivaLeBeaver · 30/03/2012 11:07

Really? You don't believe that someone's nearest park could be 7 miles away? Hmm

We don't all live in London/other big cities you know.

MissFaversham · 30/03/2012 11:10

YANBU all these parking charges make my teeth itch. I live in Fulham and we are all ZONED! (as in every few roads have different parking permits) as well. I'm in Q and various friends are in other zones. It costs £2.40 an hour to park... Grrrrrrrrrrrr

Original poster
exexe · 30/03/2012 11:11

Yes WibblyBibble first world problems.
Each to their own and all that.

My family are immigrants from a much poorer country so I do know what real problems and am involved in charity work out there. Get off your high horse.

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 30/03/2012 11:11

I don't get this.

If you don't want to take two buses because it takes 'ages'

What's wrong with driving and parking 10 mins or so down the road in a street? Confused

Surely the park isn't the only place to park the car in the whole area?

teatimesthree · 30/03/2012 11:12

Viva, presumably your nearest park is 7 miles away because you live in the countryside. I know this isn't your AIBU, but I do think it's a bit unreasonable to want to drive into a city, bringing your exhaust fumes with you, and use the park that has been paid for with residents' council tax, and then complain about paying a measly £1 for parking.

Sootie · 30/03/2012 11:17

YANBU. I took my DD to our favourite park back in november and found they had installed a pay and display thing. 50p an hour!!! I couldn't justify paying £1 for staying 1.5 hours. So we rushed to the ducks for 30 mins, then rushed to the pay area. It was a horrible outing as i kept looking at the time.

Original poster
exexe · 30/03/2012 11:19

I think my annoyance comes from a sudden change. From having a convenient free park to just drop into as and when to having to be organised, making sure I have change and paying.

Yes there are streets to park around and thats what most people I know now do.

I think Viva is entitled to go to a park where they have things for kids to play on as well as other children there too whether she lives in the coutryside or not.

OP posts:
Sootie · 30/03/2012 11:20

worra - all residfential areas where i live have permit holder only parking, as do the roads outside the park I described above. Sometimes it's not easy to park down the road.

VivaLeBeaver · 30/03/2012 11:22

My council tax is for the District and I pay the same council tax to the same people/council as people who live in town. One of the parks yes I could park in a nearby street (though this is the one that isn't charging yet), the other one is a "country park" and in the middle of nowhere so you have to park in their facilities. Only roads nearby are country lanes with no parking.

WorraLiberty · 30/03/2012 11:23

The thing is, car parks come at a cost so if you choose to use them you should really expect to pay for them.

Now, if they were charging 80p entrance fee I'd say you most definitely are not being unreasonable to be angry.

But they're not, they're just charging you for a facility you choose to either use or not.

WorraLiberty · 30/03/2012 11:24

Sootie it might not be easy to park down the road but I refuse to believe there's nowhere to park down the road...controlled parking zones or not.

Every area will have somewhere to park, even if that means a 15 or 20 minute walk to the park.

VivaLeBeaver · 30/03/2012 11:26

I do agree that these days it just has to be something we have to suck up. I wouldn't go as far to say I'm angry about it but it is a shame. Not long ago we'd have thought that these were the facilities that you pay your council tax for.

Now, even though council tax is going up far more than the rate of inflation (think our last rise was 11%) it seems that council tax doesn't cover it and we have to pay more. I guess its one way the council have of trying to stay in the black.

Original poster
exexe · 30/03/2012 11:26

Worra parks have been free to park in for years and its not an organised car park usually, just a bit of concreted area. I don't believe it costs much to maintain a concrete patch.

I'm sure we'll get used to paying for this like we accept paying for everything else.

OP posts:
VivaLeBeaver · 30/03/2012 11:27

And if it means that the council then have more money to provide other services such as respite care, etc then its fair enough. But I do think its a shame. I can afford the £1, others might not be able to - or not every weekend.

scaryteacher · 30/03/2012 11:28

Where I live in Belgium you can park for free for a couple of hours on the roads in town, or for free in the car park. The view here seems to be that it will bring people into the town to spend money in the local shops and therefore keep the shops going.

A different town close by makes you pay, so I don't know which is best. I've just been to the market and not had to pay, so I like it.

teatimesthree · 30/03/2012 11:30

Surely if you can afford to run a car, you can afford £1 to park?

Lueji · 30/03/2012 11:30

I think it's a fair way of getting people to contribute towards park maintenance.
It's not the park itself only that needs maintenance, but the park itself, I'm sure. Clearing paths, cleaning, maintaining gates, fences, signs, etc

Of course, it's a PITA to always have change to pay the parking, though.

Lueji · 30/03/2012 11:33

MissFaversham,

Fulham has lots of public transport, surely?

And it's not the cheapest area to live in either.

lesley33 · 30/03/2012 11:34

YANBU. Yes other places may charge more. But IMO councils charge for stuff like this now without thinking of the wider consequences.

Where i live car parking charges have soared and local businesses are very vociferously complaining that their business is down as a direct result - has been going on for 6 months, so not just a temporary thing.

Original poster
exexe · 30/03/2012 11:38

teatimesthree you know what the current climate is like.
It can add up. It would cost me about £12 a month to go to the park if I went at the rate I used to go.

Yes, I've heard everyone's arguments about not using the car, parking elsewhere etc and I know there are ways around it.

I think Viva said it well. Its something we assumed our council tax pays for and its just a pain and inconvenient now.
We don't have much left these days thats free (or that we is still being covered by council tax). How long til we get charged for using the libraries?

OP posts:
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