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The Great Parking Debate
- Thread starter Spark
- Start date
djtruefitt
TS Team
I am very surprised its not gone up, its been £6 for years and years now! And with the new machines and barriers, I thought they are bound to up the charge.
jon81uk
TS Member
I guess they know they can't get away with putting it up further, they would rather increase the gate price and keep the parking down. Warwick Castle is actually the easiest of the Merlin attractions to increase parking as it is still more expensive to park in the town, therefore the cost seems justified.
BigT
TS Member
It should be free.Car Parking will remain at £6 for 2015.
Tim
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Air / Blue Fire
I get the feeling they are letting the other parks catch up to strengthen the claim "they are only matching everyone else" (Obviously ignoring that Merlin own all of them). After being caught out by £5 on my last visit to Lego it's only really just hit me that they have practically caught up with Alton's £6 now
djtruefitt
TS Team
It was only a couple of years when thorpe added charges and it was £2, now I'm sure it's £5!
jenniferelka
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
I did expect it to be £7 this year, so relatively it's good it's still £6. Still very pricey but they can get away with charging that amount and even more because the car park is basically the only option.
Slugjc
TS Member
It is a disgrace that they charge that much for parking, especially when getting to the park is as hard as it is. The money doesn't obviously go on the upkeep of the car park itself so where does it go?
But I can see more and more attractions charging for parking now. Not just theme parks either.
But I can see more and more attractions charging for parking now. Not just theme parks either.
Rob
TS Team
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- Steel Vengeance
I'm in the monority that doesn't really mind about the car park charge. These days it is to be expected, there are not many places where you can go to get free parking. You get free parking at out of town shopping centres to try and attract people to use them over city centres. Theme parks are not in the same situation. The number of guests who use the car park charge as a deciding factor on whether to visit or not will be tiny.
However, some of the car parks, espeically the coach park, are in a state. They need to invest money in some resurfacing works.
However, some of the car parks, espeically the coach park, are in a state. They need to invest money in some resurfacing works.
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Is it not the norm in this country also though? Blackpool charge for parking (more than Towers), as do Drayton. The smaller parks tend to have free car parking but I'd imagine this is an attempt to gain a few extra guests where they can or help create a percieved good impression.
All major parks in the UK charge for parking.
I totally understand the whole car park charge, but the only gripe with me is there are no other option. If you go by car you are penalised by the charge, but by bus you are get to the park late and leave early, which in itself aren't readily available. In Orlando especially the charges are higher, but you do have the choice of catching a bus, which are both good value and readily available.
If a theme park is in an area where public transport is an option, or people can get to it easily by train, or there are park and ride alternatives in the area, then fine, this gives people a choice as to if they want to to pay the parking charge or not.
Alton however are in the middle of the Staffordshire countryside. There are very poor public transport links to the park, no other places to park nearby and the roads leading to the park are narrow and in a poor state of repair in places. The parking charge was initially set up to help fund the new bypass, which, didnt happen due to problems (not Alton's doing I hasten to add), but, the parking charge has remained ever since, simply adding money to the coffers of Merlin.
Its certainly not right of Alton to have this parking charge given the new bypass is no more and the overwhelming majority of guests have no other option but to drive to the park and then get hammered not only by the entry price, but then also the car park charge afterwards, on top of fuel to get there, food, drink, souvenirs, really does leave a bad taste in peoples mouths when exiting the park after what may have been a good day on the park.
But, us Brits are a soft bunch, we think that because someone else does it, then hey ho, we have to put up with it, and that's why Alton implement it. If people stopped visiting the park or refused to pay the parking, then i'm sure those barriers would be removed quickly enough!
Until such time as there are decent public transport options to get to Alton, or a park and ride scheme set up, then the car park charge is wrong and serves absolutely no purpose other than to generate even extra profits for this greedy company.
Edit : As for where the money goes, its easy to see its not going on the roads in the park. The road down to express parking is pot hole alley and there are a lot of pot holes on the roads to the hotels. I don't see any security guards patrolling the car parks or any new security cameras watching the car parks... the ONLY thing that they do seem to have spent the money on are new car park machines and barriers!
Alton however are in the middle of the Staffordshire countryside. There are very poor public transport links to the park, no other places to park nearby and the roads leading to the park are narrow and in a poor state of repair in places. The parking charge was initially set up to help fund the new bypass, which, didnt happen due to problems (not Alton's doing I hasten to add), but, the parking charge has remained ever since, simply adding money to the coffers of Merlin.
Its certainly not right of Alton to have this parking charge given the new bypass is no more and the overwhelming majority of guests have no other option but to drive to the park and then get hammered not only by the entry price, but then also the car park charge afterwards, on top of fuel to get there, food, drink, souvenirs, really does leave a bad taste in peoples mouths when exiting the park after what may have been a good day on the park.
But, us Brits are a soft bunch, we think that because someone else does it, then hey ho, we have to put up with it, and that's why Alton implement it. If people stopped visiting the park or refused to pay the parking, then i'm sure those barriers would be removed quickly enough!
Until such time as there are decent public transport options to get to Alton, or a park and ride scheme set up, then the car park charge is wrong and serves absolutely no purpose other than to generate even extra profits for this greedy company.
Edit : As for where the money goes, its easy to see its not going on the roads in the park. The road down to express parking is pot hole alley and there are a lot of pot holes on the roads to the hotels. I don't see any security guards patrolling the car parks or any new security cameras watching the car parks... the ONLY thing that they do seem to have spent the money on are new car park machines and barriers!
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Let's put it like this. I'd rather them keep the parking charge than undertake yet more operational budget cuts around the park. If the money from car parking stopped coming in then there would have to be a very significant cut elsewhere.
And as you say Gary, as long as people still come and pay it then it is not going anywhere.
And as you say Gary, as long as people still come and pay it then it is not going anywhere.