New Pay parking by App at Cheyne Weares, Portland

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.

There is a new NCP carpark charging system at Cheyne Weares carpark on Portland.

Note: it is an App only system - no cash or contactless option.

Apparently the council only leased the carpark from the quarry and now it has returned to being overseen by the quarry.


2
 Alkis 17 May 2022
In reply to Mark Glaister - Assistant Editor:

That's a pretty good price to be honest.

Edit: It would be great if all carparks in the country used a single centralise system for online parking payments, wouldn't it? I appear to be collecting parking apps.

Post edited at 11:24
3
 Neil Williams 17 May 2022
In reply to Alkis:

Given that you only have to install them once that has never really bothered me.

I do think that sign needs to emphasize the overnight closure (presumably to discourage "vanlife" and wild camping as well as dogging) more clearly.  I bet that will get a lot of people tickets.

Max stay 12 hours when it's open for 15 is also a bit silly!  Plus closure at 9pm when it's still light in summer; 11pm would make more sense.

The price indeed seems fairly reasonable.

Post edited at 11:56
 tehmarks 17 May 2022
In reply to Neil Williams:

> Given that you only have to install them once that has never really bothered me.

> (presumably to discourage "vanlife" and wild camping as well as dogging)

Surely as long as they're honest with their ascent style, people can climb how they want?

1
 duchessofmalfi 18 May 2022
In reply to Alkis:

You've got that backwards - parking apps are collecting you. 

 Dax H 18 May 2022
In reply to Mark Glaister - Assistant Editor:

I have only used a parking app once, I parked in the center of Brighouse, parking was app only. I downloaded it, gave it my life history, tried to register my credit card, tried to register my debit card, tried to register Google pay, finally managed to register my work credit card. Took about 15 frustrating minutes.

Minimum payment 1 hour, it was 20 pence plus the irony of it there was an extra 8 pence convinience charge. Nothing was convinient about the process. 5 minutes later I had been to the shop I needed Togo to and I was on my way.

I would have happily put a quid in the machine or payed a quid contact less, that would have been convinient. 

2
 The Pylon King 18 May 2022
In reply to Mark Glaister - Assistant Editor:

Wow, so if you don't have a 'smart'phone then you cant use the carparK?

4
 Jon Read 18 May 2022
In reply to The Pylon King:

So much for levelling up...

1
 LakesWinter 18 May 2022
In reply to The Pylon King:

Yeah that is bollox

 nikoid 18 May 2022
In reply to The Pylon King:

> Wow, so if you don't have a 'smart'phone then you cant use the carparK?

Sometimes you can't use the carpark even with a smartphone as there is no signal. Portland Bill carpark for example - ridiculous. (I know you can use cash but who has £10 in coins on them?).

 Jamie Wakeham 18 May 2022
In reply to The Pylon King:

Indeed.  And saying that you don't have a phone (or that it didn't have signal) will be no defence, because they will argue that you should have left if you can't comply with their conditions.

If anyone does get caught by this, then it is worth fighting, because the sign is in no way compliant with the requirements of PoFA and insufficient to hold the keeper responsible.

Mind you I don't think anyone will get caught, because the ANPR cameras they talk about don't actually exist!  It's possible that someone comes around once in a while and writes down all the reg plates to check against the app payments, but given the location I don't think it such checks be very regular.

 mutt 18 May 2022
In reply to Mark Glaister - Assistant Editor:

Looks to me like Weymouth and Portland borough council have handed over public property to a private company so that they can fleece us for enjoying the outdoors. Of course they will point out that we all benefit as the profits are returned to our pension funds (assuming you aren't one of those foolish people who don't invest in the stock market).. 5 quid to park sounds pretty expensive to me in comparison with, as it was before, totally free. And yes I know that Portland parking near this carpark is contentious but I'd rather pay some money to the council so that all of it goes into social welfare provision.

2
 FactorXXX 18 May 2022
In reply to mutt:

> Looks to me like Weymouth and Portland borough council have handed over public property to a private company so that they can fleece us for enjoying the outdoors.

According to the OP, the Car Park was always owned by the quarry company.

 Neil Williams 18 May 2022
In reply to The Pylon King:

Given that you can get one basically for free (people chuck out old ones) then this isn't that big a thing.  If you've driven there you can after all afford to run a car.

Even many homeless people seem to have one these days.

Post edited at 12:04
16
 The Pylon King 18 May 2022
In reply to Neil Williams:

Its not about affording one, its about whether you want to have one or not. Cash works. Bank cards work.

3
 Neil Williams 18 May 2022
In reply to The Pylon King:

But then the machines are expensive and require maintenance, meaning higher parking charges to fund them.  And cash is even worse - more vandalism of machines to steal it, and the need to pay someone to collect it.

If it was possible to pay online at any point that day or the following day or two, say, then that would cover most bases.

Post edited at 14:14
2
 mutt 18 May 2022
In reply to FactorXXX:

It amounts to the same though. Perhaps the quarry booted the council out but I would personally prefer to pay charges to the council than a private enterprise.

1
 Alkis 18 May 2022
In reply to Neil Williams:

> If it was possible to pay online at any point that day or the following day or two, say, then that would cover most bases.

Pay-by-phone would also cover them, most other systems I've seen do that, including RingGo, so not sure why NCP's doesn't.

 FactorXXX 18 May 2022
In reply to mutt:

> It amounts to the same though. Perhaps the quarry booted the council out but I would personally prefer to pay charges to the council than a private enterprise.

You could always park somewhere else and walk.

 Neil Williams 18 May 2022
In reply to Alkis:

Yes, true.

 mutt 19 May 2022
In reply to FactorXXX:

Try that at Cheyne Weares and you feel the brunt of passive aggressive windscreen letters. On road parking is NOT welcome in Southwell. 

 FactorXXX 19 May 2022
In reply to mutt:

> Try that at Cheyne Weares and you feel the brunt of passive aggressive windscreen letters. On road parking is NOT welcome in Southwell. 

More than one car park on Portland.

 Dax H 19 May 2022
In reply to The Pylon King:

> Its not about affording one, its about whether you want to have one or not. Cash works. Bank cards work.

So the owners should change their business model to suit your whim? My guess would be its cheaper for them to go down the app route rather than bank card payments (forget cash, too expensive to empty the machine) and probably cheap enough for the small amount of revenue they will lose from the few people without smart phones. 

 The Pylon King 20 May 2022
In reply to Dax H:

Business models are for capitalist morons. Smartphones are for tossers. You've been conned. Wake up! (You're welcome).

2

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...