DRIVERS issued with fines for parking at a Mossley facility that had been without a ticket machine for years have seen their punishments written off.
Consternation reigned after Tameside Council asked for payments from people whose cars were left at Mill Street.
However, after receiving numerous complaints, Cllr Stephen Homer has succeeded in getting them cancelled because of confusion over the reinstatement of the ticketing machine.
In 2015, superglue was poured into the coin slots just after it was installed and it was subsequently set on fire.
However, Tameside Council has now brought the charges back in after reinstating the machine, at the new rates that have caused many complaints.
Yet any tickets issued on Tuesday, October 3 and Wednesday, October 4 – after it was brought back into use – will now be annulled.
Cllr Homer said: “I pointed out the machine hadn’t worked for years and some had been caught out with the machine now working and charging to park resumed.
“Any tickets issued on the 3rd & 4th October for parking without a ticket have been written off.
“It was easily done after such a long time with no working machine down there.”
Cllr Homer still has issues with the £2 charge for the shortest stays, meaning people may have to pay to pop to the nearby doctor or chemist.
He added: “Some time ago, we were approached by Mossley Town Team, who work with the businesses in the town asking if we could get the previously vandalised machine replaced as they suspected commuters into Manchester were parking all day to the detriment of the local businesses.
“Tameside Council at the time were carrying out a review of the parking charges and how people could pay for parking across the borough and said as part of that review they would replace the ticket machine.
“We have asked that the fee for the first hour be reduced as we think £2 for someone nipping to the doctor’s or the local shop in a small town like Mossley is excessive and will deter people from using it at all.”
Why are there complaints about Commuters paying and parking all day? The station carpark is not big enough for the number of people needed to use it. Would residents rather people parked in front of their houses all day? Perhaps some bays with 1 hour maximum stay would be a compromise.
I do think the minimum charge of £2 is excessive. Reinstate the 20p charge. Lots of 20p’s are better than nothing at all.
No doubt in the next year or so the council will say the land needs to be sold due to lack of use.
Over the last couple of weeks the car park has either been empty or had 2 cars on maximum.
People are now parking at the old body shop garage off Mill Street and other various places.
Top Mossley Market is the same. That car park has been deserted for years with people parking on surrounding streets, double parking on narrow streets. Last week if an ambulance has needed to get to Sandon house it would not have been able to.
There really needs to be a smaller charge for short stays. Many using these car parks are nipping in the chemists, post office, butchers etc and will be gone again within half hour.
I appreciate some train users will use the mill street one, and an all day charge should be in place but most train users park on Manchester rd near ibex or in the station car park….. or unfortunately have to drive into town as the trains are cancelled !!
I am appalled that the minium charge is now £2. I expected a rise to 50p but to have to pay £2 when all you are doing is picking up a prescription is disgusting. At least I could find a space though.
I suggest council reduce charges for short stay of 30 minutes to 50p and then have higher charges for longer stays.