Hampshire County Council reveals new charging plans for Marine Drive East and Marine Drive West in Barton, and Saltgrass Lane and New Lane in Keyhaven

CONTROVERSIAL plans to charge for on-street parking at two popular coastal spots are back on the table after the county council revealed its revamped proposals.

There was a huge backlash from residents and businesses earlier this year when the initial scheme for Marine Drive East and Marine Drive West in Barton and at Saltgrass Lane and New Lane in Keyhaven was announced.

This eventually saw Hampshire County Council go back to the drawing board – and now the authority has lifted the lid on its latest proposals, which are out for public consultation.

Under the new scheme, on-street parking would be chargeable between 10am and 6pm, with a ban on overnight parking by campervans and mobile homes between 8pm and 8am.

A number of new zones have been introduced which allow motorists to park free for up to two hours at both sites.

In Barton, a number of spaces close to the Barton Court Avenue junction and outside seafront shops would remain free for a maximum two-hour stay between 10am and 6pm. Additional free two-hour parking spaces have been added to the amended plans outside the Beachcomber café and the Cliff House restaurant.

Proposed parking restrictions and charges have also been amended in Keyhaven with the addition of two areas where motorists can park for an hour without paying charges. The remaining pay-and-display areas will operate from 10am to 6pm with no overnight parking of motor caravans from 8pm to 8am.

However, Malcolm Barry, owner of the Beachcomber café, said he was “extremely disappointed” by the latest plans. He told the A&T: “As a family-run business that has been trading since 1989 and residents of Barton, we cannot reiterate enough the severe effect these parking restrictions will have on our business, our staff and the local community.”

Claiming the prospect of £8 daily parking would force staff to park on set-back roads, adding to congestion, Mr Barry said: “We find running our business extremely difficult with the high cost of amenities and various taxes we need to pay, this is before the tax rises next year. Every single customer we have is extremely important to us, so anything that means we may lose customers is a real worry.”

NFDC and New Milton town councillor Alan O’Sullivan said he “can’t believe” HCC is again planning parking meters following the “resounding objection” earlier this year: “This will mean that our residents will now have to pay if they want a sea view from their car or more likely they will park in the side roads which will make those narrow roads even more congested.

“This is a sledgehammer to crack a nut. All that is required is a sign saying ‘no campervans overnight’ which was the residents’ original suggestion. If this proposal goes through it’s going to cost you £1 per hour to park – plus card charges. If you think you can go down to the beach and back within an hour you will be hard pushed. You think we were in the middle of a city with these prices.

“This is just another money making idea.”

Barton resident Chris Lynott has also slammed the plans as well as the timing of the consultation period immediately before Christmas. He said: “Once again the council is trying to use the motorist as a cash cow.

“The reasons given for introducing this scheme are not credible. 'To modernise on street parking' – this is a meaningless phrase which can be translated into 'make more money'. You want the public to believe that parking meters are modernisation? They have been around for a long time.”

In a statement, HCC said: “The revised proposals seek to address many of the comments made at the earlier consultation, namely through the introduction of sections of two-hour limited waiting (free parking) to add flexibility for short stays and turnover near businesses.

It continued: “The tariff structure a been revised to be linear, further enhancing short stay parking which will be £1 for an hour, furthermore discounted season tickets will be available for regular users.”

Milford parish councillors have previously reported they were receiving a barrage of daily complaints about wild campers living for “weeks at a time” in vans parked at the coastal site.

Residents in Marine Drive East and Marine Drive West have also regularly complained to HCC about significant numbers of mobile homes and campervans parking overnight.

HCC stated: “The proposed introduction of on-street pay-and-display parking remains key to resolving the overnight parking of motorhomes and caravans as well as increasing the turnover of spaces.

“On-street chargeable parking also forms part of the county council’s measures to modernise the on-street parking service with the aim of reducing the scale of subsidy provided from general highway maintenance resources to support parking regulation and enforcement.”

Comments on the scheme must be received by Friday 13th December and can be emailed to public.notices@hants.gov.uk