Gobsmacked and disappointed

[Surfer01]

Yesterday we decided to visit Cheddar Gorge. I must admit that the scenery is very spectacular around there. some people do not appreciate just how beautiful England can be despite the weather.

We decided that we would like to find out about visiting the caves and located a disabled parking bay and parked up. This was about 4pm. I had hardly switched off the engine when a parking attendent came running over to tell us to park in the disabled bay would cost us £4. I remarked that it was rather a high charge for about an hour only to be told that the ticket was valid for the whole day. Huh!

Seems some private company manages all the parking around Cheddar and can charge what they like which I find very annoying. These parking areas were obviously council managed at some point and not built specifically by the private parking company.

I thought that £4 was very unreasonable for about an hour and refused to pay so our visit to the caves went down the pan! If it had been £1 or even £2 we probably would have paid, but not £4 and then still have to walk a fair distance to get to the cave entrance.

The same applies to the beach at Brean where they want £3 regardless of whether you are there for 10 minutes or all day. This applies whether or not you are a Blue badge holder. The worst part is that it is a bit too far to walk from a car park to the beach for me and £3 for about 20 minutes on the beach is an overkill.

Maybe I am an stingy old git, but then again maybe I am someone who does not like being ripped off. Highly unlikely we will visit this area again although the caravan park,

The PPC at Cheddar had numerous signs around advising that you will be clamped if a valid ticket was not displayed, yet there are not machines that issue tickets. You have to find a parking attendent who could be several car parks down the road. As far as I remember, the signs never indicated that the PPC was acting on behalf of the council so not sure if any tickets or clamping would be valid.

If my BB was displayed, would they still haveb been able to clamp my vehilce? Would you say BB holders are being discriminated against in both cases or just the beach issue?

[diskmandave]

The private company can charge what they want for disabled bays, and NO,

they cannot clamp, immobilise, or otherwise block/restrict a vehicle displaying

a current Blue Badge.

 

I have to say, I can't understand your point of view that your whole day went

down the pan because of the parking charge issue, I've just had a look on

Street View and virtually none of the yellow lines on the roads are otherwise

restricted, you could have probably parked nearer where you wanted to be,

and for free with your Badge and Clock on display.

 

Here is a copy of the uptodate Blue Badge book, just in case

you're not understanding what you can or can't do with the Badge...

 

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@disabled/documents/digitalasset/dg_186198.pdf

 

You could have parked anywhere here for free, for 3 hours....

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=coast+road+brean&hl=en&ll=51.284883,-3.011563&spn=0.009032,0.027874&sll=51.285205,-3.007743&sspn=0.009086,0.027874&z=16&layer=c&cbll=51.284996,-3.011568&panoid=QSL78g0lCQVV98W1fCuLyA&cbp=12,18.59,,0,17.88

With your Badge and Clock, right next to everything...

 

Good luck, best wishes, Dave.

Edited June 23, 2011 by diskmandave
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[Jamberson]

What happened? Were you clamped?

[Surfer01]

No I was not clamped but was wondering if they could if we did not pay. We arrived there at 4pm so regardless of whether you are there for 10 minutes or the whole day, you still pay £4. We refused to pay such a high amount for such a short time and left. If they cannot clamp you, I assume that their "ticket" may only be an invoice. Strange attitude for a place looking for tourism.

[Dragons Dennis]

They CAN clamp you and have done onb many occasions to others. The SIA code says they should not, but does not ssday they MUST not. So, they will.

[green_and_mean]

Its a business not a charity and one would assume they have to pay for staff and the land you have the option of arriving earlier or not using the car park at all. If you went to somewhere like London Zoo they charge £19 admission if you turn up at the start of the day or 10 mins before closing its down to you to decide which is best value for money when planning your day.

[Surfer01]

Its a business not a charity and one would assume they have to pay for staff and the land you have the option of arriving earlier or not using the car park at all. If you went to somewhere like London Zoo they charge £19 admission if you turn up at the start of the day or 10 mins before closing its down to you to decide which is best value for money when planning your day.

I am not objecting to the entrance fee, but I am objecting to the parking charge for £4 regardless of whether you are there 10 minutes or the whole day. Never looked for SIA badge. It is now my understanding that the gorge is owned by some Duke or other, but I am not sure who supplied the parking areas and the road through the gorge. i.e. taxpayers money or the Duke.