Car parking at Nailsea & Backwell station

[whole diary]

[TonyK]

So ^6 a week, or throw a few rude notes into the nearest garden. Hmm.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the North Somerset Times:

Pay to park for picking up passengers



People dropping friends and relatives off to catch a train at Nailsea and Backwell Station will have to pay even if they use the car park for less than 20 minutes.

North Somerset Council has decided to implement a 20p charge for people who use the car park to pick up and drop off passengers, despite opposition from Nailsea Town Council.

Town council clerk, Ian Morrell, said: ^Charging people for less than 20 minutes is inconsistent with what^s done elsewhere in the district and in Bristol. We just think it^s unenforceable if people choose to flout it. Why bother trying to charge people who are just dropping their friends or relatives off. Giving people 20 minutes of free parking is not going to cost the council a lot of money. The real target market is charging people using the car park and then travelling by train.^

Nailsea Town Council objected to the proposal during North Somerset Council^s consultation on the new off-street parking order, which will see the same charges added to Worle Parkway station in Weston.

Despite its objection, the council received a reply stating that the authority will be going ahead with the charges, which will be implemented when the car park extension is completed in August.

Commuters will be charged ^1.50 to use the car park for 24 hours, or ^1 off-peak. Travellers will also be able to park at the facility throughout the weekend for ^2. A seven-day ticket is priced at ^6 and commuters will also be able to buy permits at a price of ^200 for 12 months, ^110 for six months and ^60 for three months.

Once work has been completed the car park in Station Road will be renamed Nailsea and Backwell Station Car Park.

A couple of points on that article from me, if I may:

- Commendable use of a particularly relevant picture to illustrate the article 

- Please don't tell me they spent any money at all on 'consultants' to dream up that new name ... 

[devon_metro]

Presumably they will have barriers which require a ticket then? Otherwise why would anybody in their right mind pay 20p if they are merely stopping to pick somebody up! Worle doesn't have barriers so same question...

[Chris from Nailsea]

At Nailsea & Backwell Station, the turning bay on the public highway has double yellow lines throughout: that is where First Great Western staff park their vehicles, and that is where those picking up passengers will continue to 'wait', I suspect.

I really cannot see that even North Somerset Council will actually send someone to collect the occasional 20p from those waiting in cars at the station for a passenger on a slightly delayed First Great Western train service to arrive ... 

[Bristolboy]

Maybe they will do like Glasgow airport and have automatic cameras which catch anyone dropping off without paying a fare. They would probably make more out of fines than actual payment (20p is hardly much).

[Chris from Nailsea]

From The Post (Bristol):

Charge for drivers dropping off at Nailsea railway station under fire

Council chiefs in Nailsea have criticised plans to charge people 20 pence to drop off and collect passengers using the town's railway station.

North Somerset Council is to press ahead with plans to introduce a 20 pence charge for people using Nailsea and Backwell railway station car park for up to 20 minutes to collect or drop off passengers.

​
The car park at Nailsea and Backwell railway station

The move comes despite Nailsea Town Council objecting to the charge, saying it would be "unenforceable".

The parking charges will come into force following the completion of a ^700,000 expansion of the station car park to provide a further 183 spaces.
 
People who currently use the car park can do so for free.

A planning application for the expansion is due to be submitted shortly and work is expected to start in the autumn and take three months to complete.

Nailsea Town Council clerk Ian Morrell said other stations ^ including Temple Meads in Bristol ^ had designated drop off and collection points. He said: "The town council raised its objections to the 20 pence charge during the consultation. Councillors felt this charge would be unenforceable and although it is not a lot of money it is also the hassle factor for people and could force motorists into the side roads or to park at Backwell Lake. If people decide they are not going to pay how, realistically, is the council going to enforce it?"

He added: "It's not as if there will be someone there checking all the time and it raises questions over the credibility of introducing parking charges at the station. Councillors felt that a 20 pence charge was not critical to the business case of charging at the car park. The real income will come from those people parking at the station all day. At a time when people are being encouraged to use public transport, we feel this small charge could be a source of contention."

The expansion will see the number of parking spaces available increase from 120 to 303 which will be changed to pay and display spaces. The introduction of parking fees will fund the ^700,000 scheme and cover operating costs.

Councillors in Backwell have already raised concerns that charging will force travellers to park on residential roads in the village. They say roads including Moor Lane, Waverley Road and Amberlands Close are already regularly grid-locked by commuters leaving their cars to catch the train and the problem will only get worse when people have to pay to park.

Details of the charges to be implemented at the station have already been agreed. Season tickets will be offered for regular travellers at ^300 per year or ^90 per quarter with off-peak travellers ^ after 10am and at weekends ^ paying ^1. People parking before 10am will have to pay ^1.50 a day.

Currently the car park is full by 7.30am on weekdays, deterring people from using the train for their regular commute to work as well as leaving no space for travellers who wish to travel off peak.

[alan_s]

Evening all, can anyone advise whether Nailsea/Backwell car park is still free at the moment, or have they started charging? 

Also I assume I am likely to find a space on Sunday morning, particuarly if they are charging!!

Cheers
Alan

[Andrew1939 from West Oxon]

Nailsea and Backwelll get their parking cheap.
The new car park at Hanborough costs ^3.00 a day and this is cheaper than other Cotswold Line stations such as Charlbury and Kingham.

[alan_s]

Nailsea and Backwelll get their parking cheap.
The new car park at Hanborough costs ^3.00 a day and this is cheaper than other Cotswold Line stations such as Charlbury and Kingham.

So, are you saying the charges are in place now ?  What is the charge?

[John R]

Still no charge at Nailsea. And you will have no problem at the weekend.

[alan_s]

Great, thanks.

Alan

[Andrew1939 from West Oxon]

In response to the Alan_S comment, the charges at Hanborough station for parking were introduced on 22 July and are as follows:

Tariffs
Monday - Friday before 10am: ^3.00
Monday - Friday after 10am: ^1.80
Saturday: ^1.80
Sunday: FREE

Hanborough now has amongst the biggest number of parking spaces on the Cotswold line with plenty of space for around 100 or so car borne rail users to come to the station.

[TheLastMinute]

Planning application for the car park has been submitted to North Somerset Council by, umm, North Somerset Council. Details here....

http://wam.n-somerset.gov.uk/MULTIWAM/showCaseFile.do?action=show&appType=Planning&appNumber=13/P/1446/RG3

Cheers,
TLM

[Chris from Nailsea]

Work on extending the car park is under way (and under water, in some parts):

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update on work in progress on the car park: