Parking charges set to start at station

Car park spaces at Alnmouth Railway Station. Picture by Jane Coltman

The daily fee of £1.50 will be for the northbound platform car park only, which is owned by Northumberland County Council.

The authority says that these changes are likely to come into force by mid-December.

A few weeks ago, a 72-hour maximum stay restriction, with no return within six hours, was introduced for the same car park.

The southbound platform car park, managed by Network Rail, remains free and with no time regulations.

Single-yellow lines will be installed in Hipsburn to restrict on-street parking from 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. It will be possible to park on single-yellow lines outside these times. This is expected to be implemented by the end of October.

The changes aim to tackle parking and congestion problems in and around the station. They will be monitored and a formal review will take place in 12 months’ time, including discussions with the community.

The new measures come on the back of discussions between the county council, ward county councillors Gordon Castle and Robbie Moore and Lesbury Parish Council.

Earlier this year, residents were invited to a special drop-in event to give their views on the trial parking arrangements, which prompted around 100 responses and two petitions.

On the back of this, the council has listened to feedback and tweaked some of its initial proposals.

Firstly, residents said that a £3-a-day parking charge was too much, so this has been reduced to £1.50.

Secondly, a proposal to implement a residents’ parking-permit scheme in Hipsburn lacked support, so the authority has decided to instal single-yellow lines.

The county council says that any residual income from the car park will protect frontline services and help fund future investment in transport connections and parking provision at the station.

The authority will also offer funding towards helping Lesbury Parish Council produce a parking masterplan for the area.