00:00Over the bank holiday weekend there was a post in the Folkestone Residence Group about parking charges.
00:05The post got a lot of engagement, amounting more than 400 comments and 600 reactions.
00:10Many disagree with the price, saying it's simply too expensive and is driving people away.
00:16So I travelled around the area and charges were similar across the town,
00:20with visitors and families reportedly heard complaining around the harbour arm.
00:23I mean it's very, very dear and it's mainly for people coming down for the day and really they spend
00:34all their money on the arm here.
00:37Especially if you've got a big family and there's a lot you've got to spend out anywhere,
00:41I don't think parking should be one of your worries, do you know what I mean, that you've got to
00:44worry about personally.
00:46Well I mean in this day and age where everything's become more expensive,
00:48if they can keep parking tickets and charges to a reasonable level,
00:52I think more people would be willing to accept that.
00:55So we spent £10.80 to park for four hours,
00:59which I think actually compared to Rochester prices and London prices isn't too bad.
01:05£10 a day, something like that would be reasonable for how many hours,
01:08obviously if you are here less then it would be more beneficial to put like £1 per hour.
01:14So while I was speaking to residents I parked behind me at the harbour side,
01:18which for two hours cost us £5.20, which is about the price of two coffees.
01:23And this is what caused all the outrage on Facebook over the bank holiday weekend.
01:28But what is the council's reasoning behind the price?
01:32In regards to the lees, which was referenced in the original post,
01:36Folkestone and Hyde District Council say the parking charges were introduced
01:40after complaints and petitions from residents about obstructive and long-stay parking on the lees.
01:45They say the charges have increased the turnover of spaces,
01:48making parking more available during busy periods.
01:51Residents can apply for a £20 three-month permit,
01:55allowing up to three hours of free parking each day.
01:58The seasonal charges only apply between 11am and 5pm from April to September.
02:04But while these charges may be helping more cars find a space,
02:08they're also giving people plenty to talk about.
02:10Kristen Hawthorne for KMTV, Folkestone.
02:13We'll see you soon.
02:14We'll see you soon.
