Parking charge discrepancies between Northumberland coastal villages explained

The discrepancy between Beadnell, where is costs £3 to park all day, and neighbouring Bamburgh where it costs £5.50 to park all day was raised at a meeting of Beadnell Parish Council.

Coun Guy Renner-Thompson, local ward member on Northumberland County Council, said: “There was a long study done and it was decided that we could charge a higher level at Bamburgh than at Beadnell.”

A local resident suggested Beadnell’s charges should be increased to match Bamburgh, with the extra income used to fund public toilets.

But Coun Jen Hall said: “This council negotiated an hour free for locals and that lower amount. I would be very loathe to charge £5 for people wanting to go to the beach whereas Bamburgh has the castle and church.”

Parking charges at Seahouses are broadly similar to those at Bamburgh, although the first hour is also free there.

The issue of overnight parking by camper vans at Beadnell car park is also being looked at.

Coun Renner-Thompson said: “We all know it’s happening but the main thing is to keep taking pictures and send them to me or parking services so we have evidence. That really helps the case for enforcement.”

Greg Gavin, county council head of neighbourhood services, said it had been a particular issue at Druridge Bay over the summer but there are resource issues in tackling the problem.

He said: “The county council hasn’t got an overnight parking enforcement team. We can and do sometimes go to places early in the morning and try to move people on and remind them that it’s not permitted but in terms of moving people on in the middle of the night that is not something we are resourced to do.”

Chairman Alison Nation also suggested the signage could be improved to make it more obvious that overnight parking is not allowed. Mr Gavin said he would pass this on to the parking team.