Car parking at Nailsea & Backwell station

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

A further update on progress, from your local reporter:

[Andrew1939 from West Oxon]

If it is as successful as Hanborough's new car park is it will do well. At midday last Thursday week there were 158 cars in the new car park with an official capacity of 191.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Another update on progress, as at today:

[John R]

At a cursory glance yesterday (0740), there were already more cars in the new opened section than the total capacity of the old (currently out of use) park. Though how many of these are the workmen's cards I'm not sure.  Though we're still BC (before charging) of course.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Work is proceeding apace:







That will be for the final resurfacing, line marking and landscaping, apparently?

[John R]

So, here's the impact of introducing charging:-

Before expansion: 100 places. Usually fulll by 7.40am.

After expansion pre charging: 300 places, between 170 and 190 taken by lunchtime.

After expansion, third week of charging.  300 places, 113 cars (excluding the attendant's van checking cars).

The good news is that anybody who wants a space now can have one, but what has happened to the other 70ish cars? I've overhead a couple of commuters discuss and say that they now park in the side roads, so the only effect appears to have been a redistribution of who parks in the side roads from being based on time of arrival to inclination to pay. 

[trainer]

May I ask what they're charging Chris?  I believe some people drove to Nailsea and Backwell from Yatton (or in preference to) when charging was introduced there, but they may now feel it not worth the extra daily mileage and start from the station nearer to them.  Yatton has been quite tight for parkable space sometimes recently, especially after wet periods when deep pot holes become large ponds.  The side roads have been subject to the same issues since charging came in.

For the record and comparison, at Yatton the Daily Rate is ^2:30 falling to ^1:40 after 10am.  A nice new surface would be very acceptable.

[John R]

Charge is ^1.50 before 1000 and ^1.00 thereafter. I agree that some passengers displaced from Yatton may now have returned there, although the train fare + car parking is still considerably cheaper from Nailsea. 

By the way, in my original post I forgot to acknowledge Chris from Nailsea's help in compiling the pre-charging figures.

[trainer]

And I forgot to acknowledge you, John R, in my post: apologies and thanks for the info.

[Chris from Nailsea]

... I forgot to acknowledge Chris from Nailsea's help in compiling the pre-charging figures.

No worries. 

[John R]

So, here's the impact of introducing charging:-

Before expansion: 100 places. Usually fulll by 7.40am.

After expansion pre charging: 300 places, between 170 and 190 taken by lunchtime.

After expansion, third week of charging.  300 places, 113 cars (excluding the attendant's van checking cars).

The good news is that anybody who wants a space now can have one, but what has happened to the other 70ish cars? I've overhead a couple of commuters discuss and say that they now park in the side roads, so the only effect appears to have been a redistribution of who parks in the side roads from being based on time of arrival to inclination to pay. 

An update, I've been able to count a couple of times recently and the number of cars has risen to around 190. So it would appear as though people are coming round to the idea of paying.

[Chris from Nailsea]

... and, just as an aside, I've noted the presence of an attendant checking the site on a Saturday and a Sunday recently ... 

[Andrew1939 from West Oxon]

At Hanborough our new 191 space car park opened just over a year ago (July 2013). Use has expanded steadily in the 16 months since despite a ^3.00 a day parking charge. I monitor use regularly and last month counted 187 vehicles parked there at around midday so it is now virtually used to capacity and there are talks about a further increase in capacity as A40 road congestion steadily increases. However this car park has reduced the illegal on road parking in the area as the planning consent required NR^» (Network Rail - home page) to pay the county council as highway authority for the costs of introducing parking restrictions on the roads around the station. This should have happened at Nailsea and Backwell station but it would appear from this thread that no highway parking restrictions have been introduced.

[Chris from Nailsea]

No, there have been no new parking restrictions imposed on any of the roads around Nailsea & Backwell station car park.

In Station Close, the existing double yellow lines were merely repainted, at the conclusion of the construction work, I think.

[John R]

So, here's the impact of introducing charging:-

Before expansion: 100 places. Usually fulll by 7.40am.

After expansion pre charging: 300 places, between 170 and 190 taken by lunchtime.

After expansion, third week of charging.  300 places, 113 cars (excluding the attendant's van checking cars).

The good news is that anybody who wants a space now can have one, but what has happened to the other 70ish cars? I've overhead a couple of commuters discuss and say that they now park in the side roads, so the only effect appears to have been a redistribution of who parks in the side roads from being based on time of arrival to inclination to pay. 

An update, I've been able to count a couple of times recently and the number of cars has risen to around 190. So it would appear as though people are coming round to the idea of paying.

And one year on, I counted 245 cars at lunchtime today.  Only another year and it will be full and time to add another deck...