Traders in Ivybridge are calling for the public to boycott the main South Hams District car park in Ivybridge, on Wednesday February 12 ahead of ‘controversial’ plans to increase parking charges across the district.
Sue Hawkins runs Nature’s Larder health store and therapy centre and Liz Lawton, MD of Lawtons are behind the action.
Sue said: “At the Executive meeting they basically said ‘We don’t care. We need £500,000 and this is how we’re going to raise it.’”
An hour is going from 70p to £1.50, the all day is going from £2.10 to £7.50.
You can apply for a permit if you’re a South Hams resident for £5 and that will give you £1 off your all day.
Sue explained: “The Majority of people who park here are workers in the town.
“St Luke’s are saying they’re losing volunteers because they’re not South Hams residents and will be classed as visitors.
“We are already seeing people who are talking about leaving the town and the new parking app is causing chaos for people trying to download it.”
A lady who didn’t have change had tried to download the app but told us it wouldn’t accept her number
Liz said: “I’m from Plymouth and a number of my staff are as well.
“Some come from Ashburton and they’ll all be classed as visitors.
“The really disappointing thing is the machines operating on cash will eventually go and everyone will have to use an app and a lot of older people don’t have smartphones.
“We’re all struggling.”
Chairman of Ivybridge Chamber of Commerce Matt Steele said: “Since the daunting price rises have been announced,
“I have had customers come to me saying that they won't be able to visit Ivybridge so often, that they are thinking of pulling their children from swimming lessons at the leisure centre, part-time workers and volunteers saying they will not be able to work in Ivybridge anymore, businesses worried that they will lose staff, and may even need to relocate, and residents worried about more cars parked on residential streets instead of in the car parks.
“At the same time, a residents' discount being offered excludes the 30 per cent of car park users who do not have a smartphone or the required app, or prefer to use cash, from receiving discounts.
“Car parks are the lifeblood of a town, and it feels like we are being sucked dry. With the aim of filling an SHDC budget gap, we are suffering death by spreadsheet – drawing a line on a graph hoping that in some cases doubling or tripling car park prices will create the same rise in income.
“Human behaviour doesn't work like that, people will find alternatives.
We feel that we need to demonstrate the effects that the price rises will have before it is too late, by calling for a one-day boycott of SHDC car parks on Wednesday February 12, the day before the District Council votes this through. If you feel that these price rises will discourage you from visiting or working in Ivybridge, please avoid using the SHDC car parks on Wednesday February 12.