Lyme Regis and West Bay businesses unhappy at car park cuts

Car parks at West Bay Road in West Bay and Charmouth Road in Lyme Regis have been slashed as part of a trial by Dorset Council.

The trial - introduced by the new Lib Dem administration - started on July 1 and will continue until the autumn when there will be a review.

Maximum parking fees have gone down from £15 for ten hours to £9, with pro-rata reductions for shorter stays, effectively keeping the lower winter rate in place throughout the summer.

Opposition councillors have claimed that the car parks which were chosen were the wrong ones.

This has been echoed by businesses in West Bay, which are calling for prices at East Beach car park to be reduced - as it is closer to most of the businesses and the beach where many visitors end up.

READ MORE: West Bay businesses say parking reductions came 'too late'

Victoria Keating, staff member at Just Fish in West Bay said: "I still believe it is too little too late.

Victoria Keating and Lester Garden, staff at Just Fish in West Bay (Image: Tom Lawrence)

"We are in August now and people are still complaining that the car park on the beach is too expensive.

"That is the car park which affects families and disabled people, that is where they park.

East Beach car park in West Bay (Image: Google Maps)

"I think you either reduce all of the car parks or none of them, it is pointless doing half a job."

Jody Peach, owner of Customs House Emporium, said: "We are down on numbers from July so it hasn't made a huge difference.

"The car park on the beach needs the prices changed, it is nearest to us and it is where all of the businesses are.

"I don't think the tourists know, they park to the nearest one to us.

"West Bay Road car park is quite often empty.

"We are fighting for that car park to be reduced."

In Lyme Regis, the charges were reduced at Charmouth Road car park.

Jane Hutchings, manager of the Bell Cliff said she had not seen a noticeable difference from the price cuts, but said the changes had been positive for her staff.

She said: "It is still hard to say.

"The town is busy but I don't think it has made a noticeable difference.

"It needs to be promoted far and wide, locally we all know about it, but the people who came in previous years when it was expensive are not going to take a chance now.

"One big benefit is that it has made it easier for our staff.

"We have quite a few staff members who don't live in the town and it is a lot better for them to park somewhere cheap for the day."