Middleton car park could remain free despite ticket machines

New ticket machines were installed at the free Grassmere, Shrubs Field and Links Avenue car parks in Middleton-on-Sea and Felpham, following approval from the council’s environment committee to do so in November last year.

A petition to the full council was heard at its meeting on Thursday, May 9, signed by some 1,760 residents, asking for no ticket machines to be installed in, or charges to be applied to, the Shrubs Field car park.

Members debated and noted the petition, recommending to the environment committee that it consider placing no charges on the Shrubs Field car park until the end of the electoral cycle in 2027.

Chair of the environment committee Sue Wallsgrove (Green, Barnham) said the new ticket machines were to help enforce parking overnight parking restrictions and reduce the number of abandoned vehicles, as well as to collect data on the usage of the car parks.

The petition was presented to the council by Shirley Haywood (Ind, Middleton-on-Sea) who said Shrubs Field was a ‘community asset’ that provided a ‘positive parking experience’.

She said the machines would restrict this use and would push parking onto Elmer Road and surrounding roads, creating worse traffic for buses and cars going through the village.

She said: “These machines had been installed in the car park prior to the petition being heard, and have been continuously opposed by residents and the parish council. If it goes back to the environment committee, I don’t think the residents of Middleton who signed the petition will be very happy with that outcome.

“I think the full council should deliberate on this petition now and a decision by everyone should be made.”

Leader of the opposition Shaun Gunner (Con, Rustington East) said residents had asked the full council to decide on the machines, saying handing it to the environment committee to decide, who made the initial decision to install the machines, was ignoring the intent of the petition.

Trevor Bence (Con, Aldwick East) said the data gathering aspect of the machines was redundant as residents and councillors could gauge usage by having lived next and experiencing the car park themselves.

David Huntley (Ind, Pagham) said one reason the machines were installed was they had been sitting in storage, which was ‘not a good enough reason’ to be installing ticketing machines.

Leader of the Council Matt Stanley (LDem, Marine) said data gathering was important for making ‘informed decisions’ on the car park, and that petitioners were being listened highlighting the recomendation to keep the park free unti 2027.

The decision to keep the car park free will now go to the environment committee at its meeting later in the year.