Hope car park fees could be dropped

HOPES have been revived that seasonal car park charges could be dropped at a Caister seafront car park after a government ombudsman agreed to look into the situation.

HOPES have been revived that seasonal car park charges could be dropped at a Caister seafront car park after a government ombudsman agreed to look into the situation.

A group of Caister residents and councillors have been fighting to overturn fees at the Beach Road car park during the summer tourist season, in a bid to prevent holidaymakers clogging neighbouring roads with their cars to avoid the parking charges.

But in December the group appeared to have lost its fight after the borough council's car park steering group rejected proposals by Caister Labour councillors Marie Field and Pat Hacon for the fees to be dropped.

However, Cllr Field said the ombudsman had revived hopes the charges could be ended by agreeing to look into the council's handling of their case.

In particular, she said the ombudsman would be investigating irregularities in the amount of revenue the council said the car park generated.

She was also concerned similar car parks in other parts of the borough, particularly Gorleston cliff top and Scratby, were free, but Caister was not.

The steering group's rejection followed more than a year of unrest among some residents about the charges and last September a petition calling for them to be scrapped was signed by 266 people.

Manor Road and Beach Road are the two roads considered to be the worst affected by the charges at the Beach Road.

However, at car park steering group meeting, Tory councillor Charles Reynolds had said: “Dropping the charge would not solve the problem. Drivers would still not park in Beach Road because of its proximity and it's totally irresponsible to chuck away that kind of money.”