RCT are rolling out new pay and display machines in most car parks through out the Cynon Valley.

Mountain Ash have a petition going because they want to start charging 30p an hour and up to £10 for over 4 hours to park in their car parks in the town, one of which is a park and ride for the rail links.

Talk about encouraging people to park and ride and save the environment, haha what a joke!!!! £10 for a day, then your train ticket I don't think so, people can park in Cardiff cheaper than those 2 charges put together. It'll discourage people to travel by train, I thought the whole point of park and ride was, paying your train ticket not only secured your ride, but also a free parking spot.

They'll try and get money out of us all ways.

Aberdare sports centre will see a drop in numbers if they start charging to park, it's like how longs a piece of string really. You take the kids swimming or go to the gym, what length ticket do you buy?? 30p an hour, 70p for 2, £1 for 3?? Who on earth knows how long they are going be in there realistically. So people will buy a longer ticket and the council will always be making more money, then you're actually parked there for.

Pathetic of RCT, money grabbers.

"

Shopowners worry about council’s proposed car parking charges

Apr 16 2009 by neil collins, Cynon Valley Leader

MOUNTAIN Ash shopowners fear proposed car parking charges will result in the death of the town centre.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is currently discussing whether to introduce parking meters at Henry Street car park for 60p for one hour, £1.20 for two and a massive £10 for four hours and over.

And combined with the current bleak economic situation, many town retailers fear such charges would be the final nail in the town’s coffin.

Howell Day, 47, of Caegarw, Mountain Ash, has owned the Howell's Menswear shop on Oxford Street for 22 years.

“I have got in touch with my local solicitor and the Chamber of Trade, and have put together a petition which already has 600 signatures,” said Mr Day.

“I don't know how the car parking charges can be justified with clearly so much opposition to it.

“We are trying to encourage more people to come into Mountain Ash but these charges just persecute the residents who have had endless amounts of patience during the regeneration of the last two years.

“My business is down 25% since the recession and these charges have come at the worst possible time – they could kill off the town centre.

“I have two girls who don't live in the area who I may now face losing because they can't pay £200 a month just to come to work.”

Kevin Hope, 46, of Hope Pharmacy on Oxford Street more runs a free medical delivery and collection service which is now in jeopardy.

He said: “The service we offer is totally funded by ourselves but with the charges we would have to reconsider whether the pharmacy can sustain what we believe to be an essential service to the local population.

“Otherwise the only prospect I envisage is more empty premises in an already depressed trading environment.

“When more empty shops do appear – and they will – there will be no one paying for parking in Henry Street because ultimately there will be no shops left.”

Mountain Ash councillor Pauline Jarman said “These charges will be the death knell of an already fragile town centre.

“I think the plans are extremely short-sighted, especially with the recession and the fact that the councillors are giving themselves a 3.5% annual pay increase.

“The public will be horrified by these changes and I can't blame them.”

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/south-wales-news/cynon-valley/2009/04/...

Traders fight against town centre parking charges

Apr 30 2009 by neil collins, Cynon Valley Leader

A PETITION of around 4,000 names has been submitted to Rhondda Cynon Taf Council opposing the proposed car parking charges in Mountain Ash and Aberdare town centres.

If introduced, motorists will be forced to pay £10 to park for four hours or more.

The council believe the new charges will raise an estimated £650,000 revenue a year.

But traders are angered by the council’s timing of such a move considering the current economic climate.

Wayne Withers, 38, has lived at Ifor Street, Mountain Ash for 13 years and runs The Tattoo Studio in Oxford Street.

“We have a town which is dead on its feet and its ridiculous that these phenomenal charges will be introduced in such a small community.”

Judith Toms, secretary of Aberdare Chamber of Trade, said: “I attended a meeting on Wednesday, April 22, and the council were going to go ahead with their plans regardless of public opinion or a consultancy period.

“Our concerns were met with complete silence – the whole idea of a council is to listen to the concerns of the public and address them, not go behind the public’s back and act on impulse.

“If they introduce car parking charges I suggest it benefits the public in some way – like in Bridgend where the tickets are redeemable against goods in the town centre.”

Mountain Ash councillor Pauline Jarman said: “I am quite confident this so-called period of consultation was announced only to fulfil legislation. The public are aghast and I cannot blame them for losing faith in their councillors.”

George Jones, RCT’s group director of environmental services, said: “Rather than deal with this petition individually, I propose to deal with it as an objection to the proposed car park order.

“The statutory objection period commenced on April 7 and ended on April 28.

“In the light of this, the petition will now be included as part of my report, along with the comments of the other consultees and respondents that may be received by the council during the objection period.

“Based upon the strength of any representations made, a formal decision will then be made regarding whether to make the order, amend it or not to proceed any further.”

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/2009/04/30/traders-fight-against-town-centr...

If this is the case,then its a great pity and will certainly have an impact on the leisure centre and train users. RCT should reconsider and show support for those who try and maintain a healthy lifestyle,charging will only be counter productive.

What a rip off- parked in Nant Row Car Park on Tuesday and it cost me a £1, i was only there for 15 minutes! This is going to hit town centre traders hard I suspect.

Well done RCT....!!!!

and they wonder why people stop shopping in town centres and use tesco and asda instead.....ghost town here we come !!!

Since the instalation of the pay machines in the Ynys car park there have been cars parked up from the station towards Robertstown ( The by-pas by-pass ) and around the bend over the river bridge. It is only a matter of time before there is a head on crash here as cars coming up are in the middle of the road and it is a favoutite route for speed merchants and boy racers.

Not sure where the people got the idea that the parking guy in mount was booking people willy nilly the first week, I rang the council to check a few things last week and they informed me that in the first 2 weeks no one was booked in Mountain Ash. 11 warnings were issued.

While I am against the parking charges I think its only fair the facts are posted on here...

Did anyone else hear the debate on The Radio Wales Phone-In this week, all about car parking charges?

Rhondda Cynon Taf were one of the most expensive at £10 for 4 hours at Mountain Ash, a shop keeper from Mountain Ash was the first to phone in and complain.

http://www.aberdareonline.co.uk/content/car-parking-charges-rhondda-cyno...

crazyman hi i feel i must write to air my view on car parking charges. i live in aberdare and feel that these charges are way too high people from outside the area are not using the car parks and parking outside other peoples property,and stopping local residents from parking outside thier own homes.being disabled i find it very inconvenient for me to have to park one or two streets away.i understand that some people cant afford 10.00 to park but they are working in aberdare.some are police personnel ,solicitors and the like who clearly can pay.so why not think of the local residents and come into aberdare by public transport.wind street is frequently blocked by unthinking uncaring illegal parking.only a serious accident which is waiting to happen.will there anythying be done .so please use a little sense when parking your vehicles.thankyou.

I know for a fact that charges for car parking in the U K is one of the big moans visitors have about the country.

They fleece the motorist big time in Britain. On a recent visit I was shocked to see a parking ticket machine up on the wilds of Dartmoor.

No wonder they call it "RIP OFF BRITAIN" it's bound to have and effect on tourism.

Some councils can't see further than their local bank.

Greed Greed Greed will destroy us all in the end.

Free car parking for Christmas shoppers

Rhondda Cynon Taf residents will once again have the opportunity to use council-run car parks free of charge throughout the county borough to do their Christmas shopping.

There will be free parking after 10am from Saturday December 18th to Friday December 24 at the following car parks:

• Pontypridd - Gas Road, Goods Yard, Millfield, Berw Road multi-storey (Closed Sundays), Sardis Road (Closed Sundays), and the Precinct (Closed Sundays),

• Aberdare - Crown Buildings, Green Street, Library, Duke Street, Gadlys Pit, High Street, Nant Row, Ynys and Rock Grounds. (Rock Grounds is closed on Sundays.)

• Mountain Ash – Henry Street (North) Car Park and Henry Street (South) Car Park

• Porth – Porth Plaza

• Tonypandy – Tonypandy Town Centre (Lower), De Winton Street and Tonypandy Town Centre (Upper). [Tonypandy Town Centre (Upper) is closed on Sundays.]

• Pontyclun – Heol-yr-Orsaf

Vehicles must display a valid parking ticket until 10am.

Parking fees ‘hurt towns’

* by Linda Elias, Cynon Valley Leader
* Jun 30 2011

PARKING charges have further damaged the viability of already fragile town centres in Cynon Valley, Plaid Cymru has claimed

Footfall figures for Mountain Ash – where parking charges were introduced by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council in 2009 – have revealed the annual performance of the town centre has dropped in both 2010 and again in 2011.

The council introduced a 60p charge at Mountain Ash for the first hour in September 2009 and this rose to 70p in May. Two-hour parking is now £1.40

But the local authority maintains it is inaccurate and unfair to directly link the decline in footfall in Mountain Ash to one sole factor, such as car parking charges.

A Freedom of Information request by Valleys-based Assembly Member Leanne Wood revealed that the council received £18,905 in car park income from the Henry Street car park, Mountain Ash, in 2009-10. This rose to more than £21,000 in 2010-11.

Leanne Wood said: “I’m aware from colleagues that traders in Mountain Ash are finding it very difficult in current climate. Shops are empty while some retail units are no longer occupied by traditional town centre businesses.

“Clearly the introduction of charges and increases since 2009 will have an impact on shoppers and these fees will be seen by some as a signal to drive to one of the out-of-town complexes where parking is free.”

Coun John Daniel, Plaid Cymru’s spokesman on highways and transport, said: “Charges have gone up again and people are not going to pop into Mountain Ash or Aberdare to buy a loaf of bread or a pint of milk if they are going to have to pay 70p. They will instead head for Asda in Aberaman or Tesco in Aberdare.

“While Aberdare does have its anchor stores like Wilkinsons and B&M, Mountain Ash unfortunately is unable to offer that to attract people.”

He said that the Plaid group would be considering its view on parking charges ahead of next year’s council elections.

An RCT Council spokesperson, said: “Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is committed to protecting and celebrating its unique and historic town centres, including Mountain Ash.

“It is working hard to fight against the UK-wide decline of the traditional ‘High Street’ caused by many different factors, including the global economic crisis, changes in shopping trends, consumer demand and more.

“In relation to car parking charges, revenue generated is invested back into frontline services, which includes creating attractive, safe parking facilities for the benefit of businesses, shoppers and visitors.

Since April 2011 more than £200,000 of improvements works have been carried out at parking facilities across the borough.

“The Council has invested thousands of pounds on a high-profile Shop Local campaign, including free advertising for town centre businesses and a web presence, showcasing all that the town has on offer.

“Similar investment has enabled successful events such as the winter parades and summer carnivals to attract people to the town and promote it.

“This work continues alongside the delivery of the Mountain Ash Town Centre strategy, with further support including expert mentoring support for businesses, which is currently under way.”

Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/south-wales-news/cynon-valley/2011/06/...

Yes but if you park infront of pool and block road down to one lane you wont get a ticket, it causes mayhem trying to get to the sports centre. You phone the police and they say its a council issue madness

Its a nightmare since the fee's were added to the pool car park, now everyone wants to park at the side for free. But yes you are right someone will get their car damaged or someone will get killed because of this badly planned parking scheme. Why do we have to pay, its just another RCT tax.

More troughing again then

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/south-wales-news/cynon-valley/2012/09/...

There's a thought Cockman. You're always bragging that you use poor quality products and shoddy workmanship in your supposed building work so it should be easy. When the buildings fall down just spread out the rubble, as they did with bomb sites in Cardiff and make them into a car park. Put up a sign.

''This car park is brought to you courtesy of Cockman Builders''.

Don't forget the free bays for the disabled will you there's a good man.

RHONDDA CYNON TAF COUNTY BOROUGH COUNCIL CABINET

24TH SEPTEMBER 2012

REPORT OF GROUP DIRECTOR, ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

Author: Nigel Brinn, Service Director, Highways, Transportation and Strategic Projects
REVISIONS TO OFF STREET PARKING (CAR PARKS) ARRANGEMENTS

1. PURPOSE OF THE REPORT

The purpose of the report is to seek Cabinet approval to revise a number of our existing arrangements regarding the Car Parking facilities operated by the authority.

1. RECOMMENDATIONS

It is recommended that Cabinet approve the revisions set out in Section 4. of this report and summarised below.

2.1 Extend the “free parking” after 10.00 a.m Christmas shopping from one week to two in all our pay and display car parks.

2.2 Introduce “limited waiting” in our free of charge car parks situated in Town Centre locations.

2.3 Re designate four of our existing car parks from short stay to long stay.

2.4 To regularise the car parking provision at the Rock Grounds offices to form a single long stay car park.

3. BACKGROUND

3.1 The Council currently provides high quality and well maintained car parking facilities in all our town centres and has over 21 separate pay and display car parks providing over 2,500 spaces.

3.2 The parking facilities all have the benefit of lighting and CCTV and we provide around 180 disabled bays for which there is no charge, a number of our car parks have achieved the Park Mark quality standard.

3.3 A consistent approach to Car park charges was introduced in Rhondda Cynon Taf in 2009. A number of groups that represent town centre traders have made several representations to the authority regarding the car parks and in particular the charging structure that is in place.
Cabinet - 24.09.12 Agenda Item 7 105

3.4 The representations and suggestions from traders have been fully considered. The Council appreciates that this global recession is impacting on town centre business right across the UK, and the Council will continue to work with traders and other stakeholders, to help support economic conditions across the Borough, and therefore this report will improve the situation..

3.5 The car parking charging structure within Rhondda Cynon Taf compares favourably to neighbouring similar authorities and there is also no capacity within the Council’s budgets to accommodate the requests made by traders.

3.6 It should be noted that the direct costs of running the Car Parks are considerable and include rent, rates, electricity, cleansing etc. In addition significant capital investment is also required to retain the quality of the assets.

4. PROPOSALS FOR CHANGE

However a number of other suggestions have been made and these have been considered and are outlined below.

4.1 Extending Free Car parking for 2 weeks instead of 1 during the period before Christmas.
.
The rationale behind this option is to support local businesses and the town centres during the busy festive shopping period. The introduction of free after 10.00 am in the week before Christmas has been well established over recent years and this will now be extended to a two week period.

4.2 Revise the 45 space rule to enable the Council to introduce new limited waiting arrangements in Town Centres.
.
The current arrangements provide for free of charge car parking where the number of spaces is less than 45. This has led to a number of problems where these car parks are in close proximity to our Town Centres as the spaces fill very quickly and generally remain full for the working day.

.
It is proposed to convert these car parks to limited waiting where parking will be permitted free of charge for a maximum of two hours and no return permitted within two hours. This will provide for increased turnover over spaces and improved access to local facilities and businesses.

The orders for the following car parks will be revised accordingly:
.
Hannah Street (Porth)

Miskin Road (Mountain Ash)

Tonypandy Square (Tonypandy)

Bridge Street (Tonypandy )

4.3 Revise the Short stay/Long stay designation of certain car parks to ensure appropriate provision is maintained in all locations.

Cabinet - 24.09.12 Agenda Item 7 106
Further Re-classifications of existing car parks will need to take place to compliment the revised proposals above.
.
Dewinton Street (Tonypandy) – Short to Long Stay

Henry Street South (Mountain Ash) – Short to Long Stay

Porth Plaza (Porth) – Short to Long Stay

Crown Buildings (Aberdare) – Short to Long Stay

4.4 It is proposed that we re configure our current car parking arrangements at Rock Grounds and regularise them into one car park. We currently have one Long Stay pay and display car park at Rock Grounds (East) with the other “west” car park utilised by a number of teams based at the offices. It is recommended that we re designate the car park as a single entity noting that it shares the same entrance and make the entire site a Long Stay Pay and display Car park.
.
This will provide for greater consistency and a uniformity of approach across the town centre located Council offices and provide for additional Pay and Display car parking in close proximity to Aberdare Town Centre.

.
It should be noted that at this location a small number of spaces are provided for the use of the Coroner and this will continue.

In line with existing operational practice the changes will be regularly monitored to ensure that the desired outcomes are achieved.

5. CONCLUSION
The proposals outlined above represent subtle but important improvements to the management of our Car Parks in a number of locations across Rhondda Cynon Taff and should be progressed.

This is the problem you get when you have a Chief Executive Office who does not understand basic economic models- A trip around the area will clearly demonstrate the amount of well established retail outlets that have closed....No council tax to collect there.

There are enough examples in the USA ALREADY AVAILABLE ON THE NET, THAT DEMONSTRATE THAT PARKING METERS AND PAID CAR PARKING ACTUALLY DRIVES AWAY CUSTOMERS, AND THE DOWNTOWN AREAS DIE SLOWLY.

Much the same is happening in the Rhondda.

In times of recession you dont continue merrily screwing the spending public further. It is best practice to free up capital, get people back spending and have cash in healthy circulation.

When Tesco and Asada start charging for short term parking, then perhaps the council should take notice. Until they do all parking should be free and paid for out of council taxes, and not your much needed money in your pocket.

Cutting the grossly obscene councillors' allowance would be a great start, as most of them know and do very little to warrant such amounts!

Finally, whilst on the subject of what councillors screw you for in allowances...... given the obscene salary the Chief Executive is leaching from you, do you really think he cares if the Rhondda and its shops go bust?....He just moves on.... pension and all!

AND THERE WILL ALWAYS BE ANOTHER INCOMPETENT TO TAKE HIS PLACE

Like RCTBC they will do what we let them get away with. I have been there and parked away from there rather than pay to spend my money!

By far its the online shopping and the rude unhelpful attitude of some shop keepers that doest help the towns as I avoid some shops in Aberdare if I can for that reason

Town centres have been hammered by the introduction of large out of town supermarkets. Besides selling food you can get just about anything in them. They have decimated the newsagent, the pet shop and small clothes retailers. There is no product that these giants are against selling.

The only way for the town centres to thrive is to attract more niche market shops selling quality goods. But you cannot just open a shop and expect people to flock into it and give the owner an exceptional turnover.

I've known people that have tried, some with their redundancy money only to find that they go to the wall within the first six months. Did they get any help from the council? Not an iota. Rates were demanded from the very start, this along with what was fairly high rents put tremendous demands on new owners. Even those that managed to weather the initial storm were unable to draw any wages from their dismal profits.

Now you have to address what kind of shops that our towns need. The cheap £1 shops or high quality high end products. Sadly the vast majority of people with money to shop for high quality products will drive straight past our poor towns and head to Cardiff, which is, after all one of the finest shopping centres in the whole of the UK.

As Tesco says, every little helps, and free parking at town centre car parks would be a boost. Perhaps people will visit the towns even if just to look and pass the time away with a cup of coffee. It could increase footfall, especially in Aberdare and Pontypridd and maybe, just maybe tempt quality outlets to open and new niche markets to be created.

Take Mountain Ash. The town centre is dead, it just doesn't have the variety of shops, great if you want a takeaway, but apart from that there is nothing to even temp the motorist to part with small change to park the car. I drove through there on a Saturday morning just before Christmas. The car park was empty, the majority of shops were closed and I saw just one person walking through Oxford Street. In fact the safest place to let your children play in Mount is the Henry Street car park, not a parked car in sight.

Yet I am just as responsible. I don't shop at all in Mountain Ash even though I live in the town. My wife likes to go into the market in Aberdare and I'll stop the car close to Market Street and wait for her. If I have to move then I'll drive round the block, she knows the drill well. Would I stop in Aberdare and pay the parking charge for just getting some ham from the market. Certainly not.

Castries is right Lewis. When I was a nipper you could get anything you wanted in Mountain Ash. There were three ironmongers, Burtons the tailor, Victor Freed, several Co-op shops including the big one at the top of the town. Vaughans the greengrocers had two shops, Thomas the florist. Thomas the chemist, along with Smiths drug store and Boots. There was Woolworths, Redifussion TV rentals. The gas and electricity boards both had show rooms. You could buy toys from the Leather Stores and Mr Baileys. There were general stores named Leslie's, they again had two shops. A Chinese laundry, a tin worker and a photographer (Ken Evans?). Evans the off licence. Several butchers including Mortons. Magarittes for women clothes along with several other small clothing outlets. Four newsagents that I can remember. Olivers also had a shop in the town along with Bowens shoe shop. There were also six cafes where we used to hang out. A cobblers and a nice little shop that used to sell sweets and broken biscuits.

The town also had a thriving entertainment sector with three cinemas. Most of the pubs were still open when I became old enough to drink. The Mountain Ash Inn*, Conservative Club, British Legion, Bruce Hotel, Bridge Social Club, Hibernian Club*, New Inn, RAFA Club*, Glancynon Inn (now Mount RFC), Workingmens' Club*, Nixon's Club*, Napiers Hotel*, Royal Oak, Aberdare Hotel*, Jefferies Arms*, Butchers Arms*, Harp Hotel*, Allens Arms, Cresselly Arms*, Colliers Arms (The Cat). The Mount RFC was located in the old billiards rooms which also went onto to be a night club for a short time. (*still open).

If you couldn't get what you were looking for in Mountain Ash you had to choice of two train services to Aberdare where you were almost guaranteed to get what you wanted. When we first got married we bought all our white goods, TV, stereo from the Co-op either in Mount or in Aberdare.

But in those days there was good employment in the valley through the collieries, the phurnicite (wouldn't want that back though). Plenty others were employed in the industrial estates at Hirwaun, Ynysyboeth and Treforest. If you were unemployed in those days the reason was simple, your were too lazy to get off your arse.

Now the jobs are gone. Governments of all colours have had little interest in the valleys. EU money has been wasted on poor job creation schemes (unlike Cornwall which has used it wisely) infrastructure in just about the same as it was in the 1960s. The Welsh Assembly is only interest in Cardiff, it seems that Wales ceases to exist north of Tongwynlais.

I'm not hankering over the old days, my life is pretty comfortable. But, unless this council pulls it's thumbs out of it's arsehole there will be no town centres left at all. Unless of course you want a take-away.