Cheaper parking in Cornwall

watto64
watto64 Forum Participant Posts: 162
edited October 2021 in Tips for making Caravanning & Touring Cheaper #1

Hello all

Recently spent 3 weeks in cornwall and occasionally used the pay display carparks in Bude.

Paid £5.70 for 3-4 hours via the justpark app, then extend an hour using the app again...so 5 hours for £6.50

Next visit paid for 1 hour @ 80p via the JustPark app and paid 80p per hour as you go, we stayed 5 hours for £4.

On checking T/Cs there is no mention of not being allowed to do this. The app tells you when your parking is due to expire and gives the option to extend your parking period.  

Not sure if other apps or counties have this feature, and i guess when they catch on it will stop.

 

Comments

  • SeasideBill
    SeasideBill Forum Participant Posts: 2,112
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    edited October 2021 #2

    That’s an interesting loophole, hadn’t realised it was possible. That said, I’m not sure I could be doing with the faff of clock watching or the fine if I forgot.

  • eribaMotters
    eribaMotters Club Member Posts: 1,193 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #3

    I'm not sure how relevant this is, but I came across it recently when searching for parking on our days out in Scotland.

    It takes the stress out of parking anywhere in the UK., finding you a range of options within a couple of hundred metres of your destination. You just pay a 49p booking fee for the convenience. 

    https://www.yourparkingspace.co.uk/

     

    Colin

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,383 ✭
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    edited October 2021 #4

    Trouble with parking apps is there are to many of them.

    peedee

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #5

    I read a report today saying that many council car parks in Cornwall are free because the pay & display machines are full of cash - apparently due to a shortage of staff in the firm contracted to empty them! Not sure how long that's been the case but at least twice this year we've been unable to pay to park in the council car park at Perranporth. surprised

    https://www-cornwalllive-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/majority-council-car-park-machines-6010817.amp?amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a6&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=16337265297158&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cornwalllive.com%2Fnews%2Fcornwall-news%2Fmajority-council-car-park-machines-6010817

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,383 ✭
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    edited October 2021 #6

    Is there not the alternative of paying by card or phone? In my experience this year most are going cashless.

    peedee

  • SeasideBill
    SeasideBill Forum Participant Posts: 2,112
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    edited October 2021 #7

    There are still a few about where it’s cash only, but they are few in number now. Mobile signal for the Apps can be problematic with some locations/networks and employing G4S as the collection contractor doesn’t help - remember 2012? Interestingly it doesn’t seem to hamper the efficiency of parking enforcement, locally they threatened to give the postman a ticket the other day!

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,828 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #8

    National Trust has 69 car parks in Cornwall entirely free of charge for members. List and map available on line.

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #9

    Agreed, we know where the majority are and use them frequently. We have spent many weeks in Cornwall this year (will be down again next week smile) and, from memory, have only paid to park once - £4 all day at Porthscatho which I reckon  is a bargain! Oh, and voluntary donations at St Just in Roseland church which I don't count. wink

    Of course, it helps being mobile but there are free parking spots to be had within reasonable walking distances of all the major attractions. 👍

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited October 2021 #10

    CarParks with "pay by app" is all very well if you have a smartphone with a signal. It discriminates against those who don't have the app as they are unable to park.

  • DEBSC
    DEBSC Forum Participant Posts: 1,362 ✭
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    edited October 2021 #11

    Did you park in the same car park? In Bude the smaller car park, next to the others, is only 80p per hr. however long you stay. Not sure why this one is cheaper but it’s the one we always head for.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #12

    I was in a car park in Wells recently, no coins on my person for the machine so decided to use the pay app. Phoned the app number on the machine and the message came back " this machine doesn't use pay app!" Wasted journey, no other nearby parking. frown

  • MikeyA
    MikeyA Forum Participant Posts: 1,072
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    edited October 2021 #13

    You'll be saying next that ATM's discriminate against those who don't use plastic!  

     

  • SeasideBill
    SeasideBill Forum Participant Posts: 2,112
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    edited October 2021 #14

    I wonder how Apps cope with a motorhomer needing to pay for two spaces for the same vehicle at the same time?

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636 ✭
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    edited October 2021 #15

    will be down again next weeklaughing,

    Must have heard that we're heading away East tomorrow, M.wink

    For anyone who doesn't mind a walk into Penzance or Marazion the small car park at Long Rock is free at the moment, as the paying machine has been removed during the upgrade of the promenade.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited October 2021 #16

    We keep a couple of pound coins and some other denomination in a 35mm old film containersurprised under my seat for car parks

  • watto64
    watto64 Forum Participant Posts: 162
    edited October 2021 #17

    we parked in the crooklets car park on the grass area - away from anyone else squashed onto the tarmac area

  • redface
    redface Forum Participant Posts: 1,701
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    edited October 2021 #18

    The car park at Watersmeet was free the other week as machine had broken down..

    Guess it might have been repaired by now.

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,383 ✭
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    edited October 2021 #19

    The same apples if you do not have the right cins or enough of them.

    peedee

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,383 ✭
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    edited October 2021 #20

    They don't.

    peedee

  • SeasideBill
    SeasideBill Forum Participant Posts: 2,112
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    edited October 2021 #21

    Not surprised. However, I did come across a car park where you could differentiate between MH and car using a different location code which presumably (didn’t check) attracts a different rate. That’s probably too much to expect in most places, but at least with a credit/debit card you can buy multiple tickets in lieu of cash.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited October 2021 #22

    That never happens to me on holiday as The X-Trail has a large ashtray where we keep stacked coins for such occasions. 

  • Whittakerr
    Whittakerr Club Member Posts: 3,472 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #23

    I have a small plastic box that my business cards came in that i keep full of coins in the car. Before this years main holiday i counted it to make sure i had plenty for car parks and was shocked to find it had just over £35 in it. Ended up spending about £15 of it as NT car parks are free to members and most of the others used contactless payment.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #24

    Due to Covid and no-one wanting to handle notes and coins we ran down our stocks of "change" which is why I found myself penniless in a car park. Normally I always have some, it's been good not having weighty coins in my purse. I hardly ever use coins now.

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,383 ✭
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    edited October 2021 #25

    but at least with a credit/debit card you can buy multiple tickets in lieu of cash.

    Yes but not for the same registration number if the number is a requirement.

    peedee

     
  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,666 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #26

    Absolutely right Peedee.  I do like to pay by app whenever I can - I usually don't have the cash, and prefer it to card   However, the number of apps just takes up the memory on the phone.  I already have: JustPark, Parkmobile, Flowbird, Parkopedia and RingGo....   How many more should I download to cover all eventualities??

    David

  • SeasideBill
    SeasideBill Forum Participant Posts: 2,112
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    edited October 2021 #27

    Add ‘PhoneAndPay’ to that list and you’ll have good coverage - maybe NCP ParkPass also if you’re wealthy enough to use their car parks?

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,666 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2021 #28

    .....I think I'll pass on the NCP.....  Can't remember the last time I used a NCP?  Perhaps they tend to have sites in the busier towns and cities.... which I tend to avoid..?

    David

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited October 2021 #29

    NCP are mostly multi-storey and I don't fancy a cabriolet motorhome.

  • SeasideBill
    SeasideBill Forum Participant Posts: 2,112
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    edited October 2021 #30

    Very wise

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