Local councillors have voiced their concerns to Pembrokeshire County Council’s ‘street-care manager’ over the recent increase in charges at off-street parking facilities in Tenby, with members concerned about the potential additional cost impact on people having to park to work in the town.

The matter came up for discussion at a recent meeting of Tenby Town Council, when members discussed correspondence from PCC that highlighted an increase in charges to the council run car parks, which came into force last month, ahead of the holiday season.

The discussion led to a broader discussion on other parking related issues, particularly the resident parking permit scheme, which councillors felt was flawed, and subsequently called for PCC to urgently review its policy of selling permits for ‘resident bays’ to visitors.

Councillors have even heard of issues of motorists ditching their vehicles on some of Tenby’s estates close to the Walled Town; whilst another issue that has arisen is people parking cars on a route up to the cemetery, some times blocking the way for a funeral cortege.

Following the meeting Cllr Sam Skyrme-Blackhall and some of her fellow councillors met with the man tasked with overseeing such issues for the Local Authority, streetcare and parking manager Marc Owen.

Mr Owen outlined the ‘Penfro’ parking permit which allowed a permit holder to park in any PCC car park in the county at an annual cost of £225. There was also the ‘Puffin’ permit which allowed parking in a specific car park (cost £175). This was transferable from car to car.

Cllr Laurence Blackhall noted that the minimum purchase for a ‘Penfro’ permit was three months, which he felt was a large amount for some people to find in one go and wondered if the permits could be made monthly.

Mr Owen explained that this would not be cost effective for the council to send out physical permits every month but they were looking at ways of providing ‘virtual’ permits where people could have the option of paying weekly. He added that The Green car park was free to use in the winter.

The weekly charge also meant that you were paying for five days with two days free.

Five hour stays also allowed flexibility for people working four-hour shifts.

Cllr Blackhall said that few people seemed to know about these schemes and wondered how the Town Council could assist in publicising them as it was a way residents and workers could pay less for their parking.

Mr Owen said that there would be a new advertising campaign starting shortly to promote such schemes.

The town clerk passed on some points that Cllr Duncan Whitehurst had asked to be considered, including why the multi-storey on Park Road was cheaper than the Salterns facility, which had the ‘Park and Ride’ scheme running in the summer. He felt it was encouraging more people to come into the town centre, increasing congestion and pollution.

Mr Owen said that cheaper rates in the multi-storey (and for the North Beach car park) was designed to accommodate people working within the town. It was also evident that people generally seemed to congregate more to the multi-storey as it was near the town centre.

He revealed that the Town Council would also be consulted on shortly in relation to the Harbour residents parking scheme and charging periods in the multi-storey.

Cllr Skyrme-Blackhall commented that the ability to purchase a ‘holiday’ permit for use in resident parking permit scheme bays was something that she, as county councillor for the South ward, had a lot of complaints about; and was also something that the Town Council had raised concerns about.

She gave an example of one street of 18 properties with nine on street resident permit bays.

“There were only six full time residents but they continually had to plan when they needed to use their car because, if they moved, they would invariably find the space taken up by a holiday permit when they got back,” she stated.

Cllr Blackhall remarked that it was understood that a resident permit did not guarantee a space - but very often holidaymakers left their car in a bay all week, so there was little turn-over to create potential space for full-time residents.

Mr Owen said that PCC has gradually been increasing the cost of a ‘holiday’ permit, with the idea to try and drive these cars away from ‘residents bays’ into car parks by making them dearer than a weekly ticket for the car parks.

A holiday resident parking bay permit was currently £50, he explained. He said he was trying to change the balance, and holidaymakers now had to provide a booking reference to be entitled to a holiday permit. However, as the scheme was currently designed there was nothing to stop the householder having a permit and a holidaymaker getting a permit for the same property.

Cllr Skyrme-Blackhall said that some time ago, a zonal approach was trialled whereby permit holders could use vacant permit spaces in neighbouring streets, but this had been discontinued due to complaints.

However, she felt that the trial had not been carried out for long enough and felt that another one was needed.

Mr Owen said that, as a county councillor, she could make a request for another trial to be considered; and there was nothing to stop the Town Council supporting that request.

He said he was open to suggestions in relation to residents parking schemes as there were obviously pressures on the scheme as existing. One approach was looking to cease issuing holiday permits with only one permit per house issued. He could look into how many properties were being issued ‘second’ permits at present.

Another suggestion Cllr Whitehurst had asked to be considered was for flexible parking permits for residents which allowed them to use the car parks for free. This was operated by a number of other councils as was a scheme to offer free or discounted rates for ‘town centre workers’.

Mr Owen said he was happy to consider any ideas including a mechanism whereby resident parking permit holders could have a concessionary rate to park in PCC car parks.

He said he would welcome the Town Council coming to an agreement on what solutions they feel could work for him to investigate further.

County Councillor for the town’s North ward Cllr Michael Williams recently submitted a notice of motion to the Local Authority asking that it immediately ceases issuing parking permits to other than permanent residents.

“The situation in certain areas of Tenby are now extremely difficult for residents, many of whom are afraid to use their vehicles as there is little chance that upon return they will be able to find anywhere to park,” stated Cllr Williams.

“Often vehicles with visitor permits will be parked for periods of 7 to 14 days completely blocking residents from parking.

“Suitable parking is available in nearby car parks, and the removal of this facility would make life a great deal easier for the few remaining long suffering residents that have not been priced out of the town.

“In certain areas it appears that the number of permits issued some time exceed the number of spaces available!” he continued.

“The issuing of permits to second home owners should also be critically reviewed, with an audit of the impact on full term residents undertaken.

“The critical importance of tourism is recognised but there is also a cost which has never been evaluated.

“The inabilty of residents to avail themselves of such a basic facility for which they pay is but one example of that cost,” he added.