Council to reintroduce parking fees

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Cheshire East Council is to reintroduce parking charges across the borough from Monday, 15th June to coincide with the government plans to re-open highstreets

Parking charges have been suspended in Cheshire East since 27th March following a council decision to support keyworkers to assist in the response to control the virus.

Parking meters will be un-bagged, and enforcement will begin on Cheshire East owned carparks from Monday, 15th June, alongside on-street enforcement patrols.

Councillor Laura Crane, portfolio holder for parking at Cheshire East Council, said: "I would like to thank all our keyworkers across Cheshire East for their continued work during the Coronavirus pandemic.

"As government restrictions ease, our main aim is to protect people and support our local businesses and the economy. Each measure we re-introduce is a balance between maintaining access and creating enough space for shoppers and visitors to observe 'social distancing' when in town.

"We are also mindful of the local environment and encourage, where possible, people to walk and cycle to their local high street – which is good for the environment and people's health and wellbeing.

"Decisions like these are difficult and can be deeply emotive and unpopular but it is our responsibility to ensure that there is a good turnaround of spaces for visitors and shoppers and that our car parks are safe, secure and well maintained.

"Protecting our business economy and keeping people safe as lockdown restrictions are lifted by government, are priorities for us and these parking measures will be reviewed where necessary. We will also be supporting businesses with additional information and guidance as government moves to lift their restrictions."

Signage will be displayed at carparks to encourage contactless payments as cash payments will not be accepted on the majority of car parks and Ringo, an online smartphone app will be available for people to pay for their parking, for people to avoid any contact with the parking machines.

Where Ringo cannot be used, the council recommends the public uses appropriate measures to reduce the risk of Covid19 by, for example, using a covered pen, or gloves to input a licence plate number into a machine and, using the contactless payment option.

After using a machine, the government continues to remind the public that regular hand-washing for 20-seconds helps to stop the spread of Coronavirus.

You can pre-register with RingGo online or by using the RingGo apps for iPhone and Android handsets.

Alternatively, you can register at the same time you want to park, either by using the RingGo apps or by calling RingGo via the number shown on the machine. The national RingGo number, which will work at any RingGo site, is 020 3046 0010.

Tags:
Car Parking
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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Nick Jones
Tuesday 9th June 2020 at 12:30 pm
Parity........

Make sure all those who park are treated equally
Nothing less.. No exceptions ..

https://bit.ly/2XLpl5L
Sandra Cox
Tuesday 9th June 2020 at 2:38 pm
This is crazy. How can these measures 'protect people and support our local businesses and the economy'?

Shopping and visiting cafes will not be the relaxed experiences they were before this evil virus showed up and having to negotiate paying for parking will just discourage people from going into towns.

After using a parking machine, we are advised to wash our hands for 20 seconds How and where? Public toilets are closed and we can hardly do that with a bottle of water and a cloth in the car!
Fred Rayers
Tuesday 9th June 2020 at 4:16 pm
You may also be glad to know that RingGo charge 20p for the "convenience" (an extra charge set by the council, not by RingGo).
Keith Chapman
Tuesday 9th June 2020 at 4:20 pm
It is hard to understand the thinking behind lifting charges in the first place. Most people who benefited were not key workers, including myself. It can’t have been to prevent people touching machines, as remote payment has always been possible. Cheshire East complain that they have lost significant revenue due to Covid-19, but this was an own goal. The council received no thanks for lifting the charges and are now facing criticism for reimposing them!
Sandra Cox
Tuesday 9th June 2020 at 5:03 pm
CE stopped charging because of the risk of infection from using the machines. Not everyone has an app and most people I see key in at least a car number. When so much is being done to disinfect everywhere (Sainsburys do a wonderful job with the trolleys) surely it is too soon to say the risk from those machines has gone away.. Some people don't have a credit card so cannot park in a CE car park at all. At least that keeps them safe.
Janet A Taylor
Tuesday 9th June 2020 at 5:24 pm
Well said Nick !!!
Carol Shawcross
Wednesday 10th June 2020 at 8:11 pm
I totally agree with Nick and Janet above.
Laurie Atterbury
Thursday 11th June 2020 at 7:35 am
Nick Jones, I see your point. Rules for us and different rules for them!
Alan Brough
Thursday 11th June 2020 at 7:56 am
@ Sandra,

I'm sure that CE Council will be providing an operative with anti-bacterial sanitiser spray to clean the keypads after each use - anything else could be considered reckless.
Gemma Evans
Thursday 11th June 2020 at 4:04 pm
Re: Alan. In the article it says you should wear gloves to pay for your parking.

On the plus side the 88 Altrincham-Wilmslow-Knutsford-Macclesfield bus route
returns to it's normal timetable next week, so at least they'll be an
alternative to the car for some.

Also note the Handforth Dean free bus will now run to a new route meaning
it'll serve Chapel Lane but won't serve Styal - details on the D&G Bus
website.
Fiona Doorbar
Friday 12th June 2020 at 6:44 am
I agree with Keith, what do you all do to protect yourselves when you refuel your cars? Probably wear gloves??!!...or have your cars sat on the drive for 3 months??....
Life needs to get back to some sort of normal and if this means the council needs to re introduce charges then just be thankful for the 3 months you have all enjoyed free!
Marc Staples
Friday 12th June 2020 at 8:50 am
The answer is to then park your car and put a sign in the window saying you are a traveller .
That will give you the right to park anywhere in the town without fear of getting a ticket
Simples