UNPOPULAR car parking charges at Needham Lakes have been scrapped.Leader of Mid Suffolk District Council, Tim Passmore said the authority made a mistake by installing the pay and display machines two years ago.
UNPOPULAR car parking charges at Needham Lakes have been scrapped.
Leader of Mid Suffolk District Council, Tim Passmore said the authority made a mistake by installing the pay and display machines two years ago.
In a dramatic u-turn the machines at Needham Lake have been taken away after they repeatedly vandalised, and even stolen.
Mr Passmore said his administration can no longer justify keeping the machines, which cost £4,500 to install, in place at Needham Lake as insurance costs mount and no real profits are being made.
The move will be welcomed in the town where the charges, of up to a £1, were never welcome and people resented having to pay to visit the lakeside with their families.
Mr Passmore said: “I always had my reservations about charging at the lakeside and before I was leader asked for them to be installed as a trial only.
“I am holding my hands up and saying it did not work. We are going to have to be realistic and pragmatic and say that it appears it was a mistake to put them in there.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here