Lib Dems demand referendum over parking charges

Earlier this week, local residents and businesses led a call demanding a referendum on East Sussex County Council's expected decision to progress with their Pay to Park scheme for Eastbourne. Seaside Road antiques shop owner Simon Richardson, Boyne House Guest House owner Helen Lister and a member of the public from Langney, Jon Porter have all signed a letter to the Leader of East Sussex County Council, Cllr Peter Jones requesting a referendum across the whole of Eastbourne.

Simon Richardson said: "We've already seen in Lewes what has happened to trade in the town centre with independent shops facing a terrible time since their Pay to Park scheme was introduced a few years ago. Do we really want the same to happen to Eastbourne?"

Helen Lister added: "I think its outrageous that the County Council have just ploughed ahead with their parking scheme irrespective of the fact that its obvious the vast majority of people in Eastbourne don't want it. Its all right for the big hotels as they'll be given free tickets to hand out to their customers but the Guest Houses won't. If this parking proposal does go ahead, I fear many Guest House owners like myself will suffer."

Jon Porter said: "This is a terrible decision by the County Council. Jobs in the town centre will be lost. I work in Eastbourne and the additional cost to me and my work colleagues will be really hard to take. All these reasons are why we've written to County Hall demanding that Cllr's Peter Jones and Mathew Lock listen to the views of their Leader. David Cameron MP. In March 2008 he publicly stated that under new plans put forward by the Conservative Party, a petition signed by 10% of the local electorate would lead to a referendum.

Well, at least 10,000 people in Eastbourne have responded to the various consultations and petitions over the last two years so we are asking the Tory administration at the County Council to listen to Mr Cameron and, even more importantly, to the people of Eastbourne and allow us the right a town-wide referendum."

Liberal Democrat parliamentary campaigner, Stephen Lloyd added: "Local Lib Dems are supporting the Peoples Campaign for a referendum. We would also like to know why it is that in Bexhill and Rother the PCSO's are instructed to ticket illegally parked cars, whilst in Eastbourne they are not. Could it be that the County Council have been so desperate to force their expensive and unwanted Pay to Park scheme on Eastbourne that they have chosen behind the scenes not to 'persuade' the police to use their PCSO's in Eastbourne? Lets be clear here; we all know it would go a long way toward solving the problem of illegal parking in Eastbourne."

Leader of Eastbourne Borough Council David Tutt said: "I wholeheartedly support the Peoples Campaign. It is obvious to the vast majority of people in Eastbourne that the County Councils parking scheme will cost a fortune for little if any benefit to local residents and businesses. We agree that something must be done to free up the traffic flow in the town centre but a £1 million Pay to Park scheme that has proved disastrous in Lewes is not the way forward."

"It would also strike a real blow against democracy. People may not be aware of the fact that if the County Council persists in forcing their Pay to Park scheme on Eastbourne, they will be the only Authority in the UK to have gone ahead expressly against the wishes of a Borough Council. Can this really be right?"

He added: "The Borough Council's proposals are straightforward. and I am sure they would be supported by the vast majority of local residents. There are five steps which need to be taken to sort the parking problem in Eastbourne:

1/ Persuade the local Police to use just some of their 24 PCSO's in Eastbourne to do occasional blitzes on illegally parked cars. If they are instructed to do so in Bexhill and Rother - why can't they do the same in Eastbourne?

2/ Remove the double yellow lines where they are not justified. This will give the Town a lot more parking space.

3/ Limit the amount of waiting time in the Town Centre to ensure that commuters us the designated car parks.

4/ Ensure the County Council reverse the changes it made to road markings and signage in 2007 (in anticipation of the introduction of "pay to Park") which lead to confusion and congestion.

5/ Introduce a "Park and Ride" scheme on the outskirts of Town in order to reduce the number of vehicles entering Eastbourne.

"My message to the County Council is very straightforward. Let the people of Eastbourne decide."