Taking a hike on parking
For the year ended April 2012, RDC’s revenue from car parks in Battle increased by a whopping 38% to £341,000, and this compared to the relatively modest increase of only 5% from RDC’s other car parks in the Rother area. Digging into the detail we find the amount collected from “Notice to Pay” charges (e.g. for not having a valid parking ticket) has rocketed by 54% to £61,000.
So it’s clear, RDC is over taxing Battle’s residents, businesses and visitors who use and depend on the car parks, to protect its spending in other areas. In these fiscally challenging times we appreciate their budgetary predicament, but it’s not fair or right that vastly increasing amounts of money are levied from Battle in order to balance RDC’s books.
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Hide AdIf the situation wasn’t bad enough, these shocking figures don’t include the latest parking charge increases and we shudder to think what rises RDC are planning for next year ....one thing I can be certain of - RDC will get be getting more Freedom of Information requests on this issue !
Clive Bishop
Asten Fields, Battle