Visitors and residents of Tynemouth say there are no easy answers to the town’s parking problems, amid recently revealed parking-fine data.
Freedom of information figures have revealed that the popular coastal village of Tynemouth accounts for six of the top ten most fined areas for parking since 2013. Front Street has amassed by far the most parking fines, with over 19,000 since the council’s records began.
Council plans independent review
North Tyneside Council has said that it understands the complex parking pressures in Tynemouth and that the local authority is in the early stages of commissioning an independent consultation to undertake an evidence-led review of parking across the area.
The local authority has also said that penalties are only issued where a vehicle has been found to be parked in “contravention” of current parking provisions. The Local Democracy Reporting Service went to Tynemouth to speak to visitors and residents to gauge their views on what could be done to aid parking.
Public views on parking
On the fines, visitor and frequent ferry user Peter Develin, 67, of South Tyneside said: “When people park, maybe they don’t realise how much they want to see and stay longer than they were expecting, it’s a lovely place to walk around.”
Peter continued: “When it is just me coming, it’s handy coming on public transport. For the people who live here, having a place to park makes sense, but it makes it harder for visitors.“You don’t want to get rid of the visitors; businesses need them.”
Top ten most affected streets
The top ten most affected streets in North Tyneside with regard to parking, since 2013, fines are as follows:
- Front Street Tynemouth = 19,274 penalty charge notices
- Huntingdon Place Tynemouth = 4,453 penalty charge notices
- Grand Parade Tynemouth = 4,221 penalty charge notices
- High Street West Wallsend = 4,104 penalty charge notices
- Park View Whitley Bay = 4,071 penalty charge notices
- Church Way North Shields = 3,807 penalty charge notices
- Spa Access Tynemouth = 3,475 penalty charge notices
- Whitley Road Whitley Bay = 3,452 penalty charge notices
- Percy Park Road Tynemouth = 3,330 penalty charge notices
- Sea Banks Tynemouth = 2,935 penalty charge notice
Mark Ross, 58, visiting from Kenton said: “It’s a difficult one, at peak times there must be 10,000 people coming down here. I can’t think of anything they can do, it’s an area of natural beauty and you don’t want to build a massive car park.
Mark continued: “We just try to come down earlier. I would like to see disabled parking displayed. I’m not sure how much disabled parking there is or where the information is available.”
Kevin Carrick, 74, of Tynemouth, said: “The other day, on Saturday, some relatives came to visit and I offered them my space, but I was away and they parked here for a couple of hours, then you have to move it. They had to come up and park it somewhere else. There were cars everywhere on the grass verges.
Kevin continued: “If you have the parking free, it’s going to be first come first serve. It’s a product of being popular and the number of cars.”
Richard Holmes, 55, said: “I don’t know how you can simplify it, it’s supply and demand, and where else could you put a car park big enough to cope with it?”
Kings Priory teacher Caroline Smith, 50, said: “It is really hard, I would never, if I was coming down for leisure, I would never bring the car, it would be impossible to park. It is a shame.”
Tynemouth resident Hazel Donkin, 63, said: “Everyone should come and enjoy Tynemouth, it is fantastic but more cars would not be good. There’s a metro, loads of buses. Where would they put more cars?”
