29 November (Part 2) - Despite what Craske claimed, Bexley has never had the cheapest parking in SE London
Six, going on seven, years ago when we were all much younger and more
naive, Cabinet Member Peter Craske created a bit of a stir by hiking Bexley’s parking
charges across the borough, some by a factor of nearly three.
The price of a Residents’ Parking Permit was increased from £35 to £100 and
even £120 in some locations. Craske
claimed that the cost of issuing them
exceeded revenue. 2011 was the year when Councillor Peter Craske let
his fantasies run completely out of control.
Foremost among his excuses was that even after the increases Bexley had the
lowest parking charges in South East London. A lie if ever there was one.
A simple web search showed that
charges were lower in Dartford, Bromley and Greenwich, unless you chose to
park right next to the Cutty Sark.
Since 2011 residents have become accustomed to Bexley Council’s lies, it’s
what they do and what the population now expects. Why? I have no idea, their
record is not always bad and the real achievement ought to stand up by themselves.
Bexley’s charges have gone up again since 2011 and Greenwich is getting ready to increase theirs too.
Darryl Chamberlain, the Greenwich based blogger has put
the new charges on his website.
Residents’ Permits will still not be as expensive as Bexley’s were in 2011 and all their car park season tickets are cheaper than Bexley’s.
Bexleyheath and Woolwich are probably the nearest to being comparable shopping
centres and off street parking will be a little dearer in Woolwich, £2 for two
hours. Bexley’s Albion Road and Cinema Car Parks are £1·90. Go slightly out of town
and the the Bowling Centre will save you 20 pence.
Go to one of Greenwich’s lesser shopping centres and you will get the first
30 minutes free. Bexley Council rejected that idea, (only 15 minutes if I remember correctly).
In the centre of Greenwich itself an annual parking ticket will set you back a
whopping £1,200 a year as you might expect in the middle of a tourist spot.
However in Bexleyheath and Bexley the equivalent permit will set you back £1,431.
In the whole of Bexley borough the cheapest annual ticket is £621. In Greenwich
the cheapest is £110, yes one hundred and ten pounds.
Six years ago Cabinet Member Peter Craske was putting out Press Releases that
Bexley had the cheapest parking. It wasn’t true then but six years later and if Greenwich goes ahead
with its latest proposals, their charges will become comparable.