Latest news with #seasidetown
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Telegraph
Lib Dem-led council in row with motorists over double parking fines
A seaside town is the first in the country to trial doubling parking fines in a bid to tackle summer holiday traffic chaos. Incidents of rogue parking in Bournemouth include cars left on double yellow lines, pavements, verges, roundabouts and across private driveways. But visitors appear happy to take the financial hit of a £35 fine – only marginally more than car parking charges, which can cost £20 a day. Now, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council has been given permission by the Department for Transport to double their standard parking fine to match London rates, so the minimum fine will be £70, or £140 if not paid within two weeks. The move comes just weeks after the Lib Dem-led council about-turned on implementing residents' permits in the area, following a 'tsunami' of objections over the £70 cost to residents. The trial scheme will operate throughout August, which is the seaside resort's busiest time of the year. Already over 4,000 penalty notices have been issued over three 'heatwave' weekends this year. Tom Hayes, Labour MP for Bournemouth East, said: 'The parking fine fee has been capped for 20 years and it's frustrating for everyone. 'The hope is by having such a significant increase in parking fines it can really have a deterrent effect.' At the same time, the local authority will be required to provide enough legal parking spaces to cater for visitors. Residents have previously criticised BCP Council for it's 'war on motorists', after it sold a number of beach-front car parks, reduced the number of legal spaces available, and spent £3 million on cycle lanes that make access to driveways a 'nightmare'. The council insisted there are spaces available within a short walk of the seafront which have been left unused. The trial has prompted a mixed response as some residents insist the council is still not on their side. 'We will all be stung' Jim James, a resident, said: 'Finally, about time. Let's see their faces when they realise it's not a measly £30 any longer.' Another commenter posted: 'As much as locals think this is brilliant, it isn't. We will all be stung as a result. It is all about BCP making money. 'We should be welcoming visitors during the peak season and accommodating them sufficiently. 'There is not enough adequate parking as car parks are being auctioned off to the highest bidder. There are not any sufficient park and ride schemes. Local businesses will suffer as a result.' The local authority welcomed the trial as they said they had been calling for greater powers to tackle illegal parking for six years. Cllr Millie Earl, the leader of BCP Council, said: 'We welcome the fact the Government has recognised the problem we experience in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole with illegal and irresponsible parking. 'We have been asking Governments for more than six years to let us impose higher fines and our parking team now await final details on the work required to implement the trial in time for the August 1 deadline. 'Even at our busiest last weekend, there were enough parking spaces within a short walk of the seafront across our three towns and when visitors make a choice to park illegally, we know that residents, and responsible visitors, want us to take robust enforcement action. 'We want to encourage and support visitors to our wonderful area but just ask them to consider the safety of others when parking; and a level of fines that reflects the true costs of patrolling and enforcing will help us to do this.'
The Sun
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Huge blow for over 500,000 Brits being slapped with HIGHER parking fines in new trial to tackle summer ‘chaos'
BRITS living in a seaside town will be at risk of huge parking fines this summer. Bournemouth MPs have promised to take action against cars parked illegally following growing frustration from residents. 1 The one-month trial will run throughout August and will target motors parked on pavements, roundabouts, and driveways. Under the scheme, parking fines will be drastically increased, and the prices for clamping, towing and vehicle storage will soar to London rates. The town has a population of around 500,000, of whom the fines will affect. Tom Hayes, MP for Bournemouth East, said: 'This is something I've fought for and only Bournemouth is getting a shot at a trial. "Higher fines will help to tackle the chaos we face every summer.' Jessica Toale, MP for Bournemouth West, added: 'I've been working with the government to give BCP Council greater powers to tackle the ongoing problems of illegal parking across Bournemouth – especially in the town centre and near the beaches. 'I know it's been an issue for many residents, and while it's been good to see the council taking action against selfish and irresponsible parking, the fines were minimal. 'That changes now. Transport Minister Heidi Alexander, who I recently met with in Branksome and raised this issue with, has today given BCP Council permission to trial increased Parking Charge Notices (PCNs) this summer.' Mr Hayes added: 'The parking fine fee has been capped for 20 years and it's frustrating for everyone. "After years of being forgotten in Parliament, the government is listening. 'I've fought our town's corner behind-the-scenes and persuaded the government to ease the pressure on our roads this summer.' Leader of the BCP Council, Cllr Millie Earl, said that she welcomes the battle against 'irresponsible' parking. She said that the council has been pushing for this scheme for over six years. Cllr Earl said: 'Even at our busiest last weekend, there were enough parking spaces within a short walk of the seafront across our three towns and when visitors make a choice to park illegally, we know that residents, and responsible visitors, want us to take robust enforcement action. 'During our three busiest weekends of the year we have issued more than 4,000 penalty charge notices to drivers who disregard parking restrictions for the sake of a shorter stroll to the beach. 'We want to encourage and support visitors to our wonderful area but just ask them to consider the safety of others when parking; and a level of fines that reflects the true costs of patrolling and enforcing will help us to do this." This is an issue that plagues holiday hotspots across the UK across the summer months as city-dwellers head to the beach for a much-needed break. One of the most common complaints from residents in coastal towns is visitors parking across driveways, on double yellow lines, and in resident-only zones without permits. In places like Cornwall, Dorset, and parts of North Wales, local councils have reported a sharp rise in complaints and fines issued during the summer holiday period. In some towns, emergency vehicles have even struggled to get through narrow streets due to cars parked on corners and pavements. For residents, the inconvenience is more than just a nuisance—it can mean being blocked in for hours or denied access to their own homes. Many councils have stepped up enforcement in recent years, with increased patrols and mobile ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) units. However, overstretched resources and a lack of available parking alternatives mean that the problem persists.
New York Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Slow-Burn Summer Thrillers
Two of this month's books are slow-burn stories about summer vacations that devolve into disaster, and one is a techno-thriller about artificial intelligence run amok. You won't be able to guess how any of them end. A Beautiful Family A hum of low-grade unease accompanies a couple and their two daughters as they drive to a New Zealand seaside town in 1985. Their rented house is a disappointment, 'as plain on the outside as a public toilet and not much bigger.' Something is off in the parents' marriage — the mother is distracted, the father resentful. Only 10-year-old Alix, the watchful narrator of Trevelyan's A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY (Doubleday, 310 pp., $28), recognizes that the man next door isn't as harmless as he appears. With her imperfect understanding of the adult world and her longing to keep her family together, Alix is the perfect guide to a story in which so many things are unspoken and unexplained. The book trundles along at a deceptively languid pace until you realize that Trevelyan has expertly set up multiple mysteries that converge, stunningly, late in the game. But for most of the book it looks like a normal vacation. No one's paying much attention to the kids. Alix's surly teenage sister starts shoplifting and sneaking out at night with her sketchy new friends. Thrilled, at least in the abstract, by the tales of a girl who disappeared two years before and is presumed drowned, Alix and a boy she meets embark on a seemingly harmless mission to find the girl's body. Then someone goes missing for real. The Confessions Artificial intelligence is advancing with such terrifying rapidity that it may be outpacing even the fevered imaginations of novelists. In Carr's THE CONFESSIONS (Atria, 324 pp., $28.99), an A.I. model named LLIAM shuts itself down and sends out letters — via the postal service, hilariously — baring the shameful secrets of users around the world. (Maybe the scenario isn't too far-off: In a real-life experiment, an AI chatbot recently exhibited what its creators called 'extreme blackmail behavior,' threatening to expose an engineer's extramarital affair after being fed emails hinting that it might be replaced by a new model.) LLIAM is more advanced than that, making decisions for a billion-plus users: what to eat, whom to marry, where to live, how to carry out their jobs. When it goes rogue by taking itself offline, chaos ensues, paralyzing even the world's most brilliant engineers. Without LLIAM, 'they literally had no idea where to start,' Carr writes. Two people are key to what happens next: the company's chief executive, who took the job when her predecessor suffered an untimely fatal plunge from a rooftop, and the former nun who tried to teach LLIAM how to be humane and who now runs an off-the-grid bookstore. But they're being thwarted by rival forces with their own plans for LLIAM. The story focuses mostly on their race to restart LLIAM and outlines — but doesn't dig deeply into — the interesting details of the catastrophe the shutdown has set off worldwide. But he (yes, LLIAM is a 'he,' by the end) is a terrifying window into the future, either way. The House on Buzzards Bay THE HOUSE ON BUZZARDS BAY (Viking, 276 pp., $30) is set in a seemingly placid town on the southern coast of Massachusetts. It's here that a group of old friends gather for a vacation that, alas, isn't going to be very fun. Jim, whose great-great grandmother built the house, is desperate to resurrect the closeness they all shared in college, now 20 years ago. But the house seems improbably out of sorts, and not everyone shares Jim's nostalgia. 'To keeping things just as they are and never swerving,' one of the group, Bruce, says in a sarcastic toast. 'May we live in museums of generations past.' Things boil over one night when Jim and Bruce exchange angry words, and more. The next morning, Bruce is gone, his room cleared out. Perhaps he's left in a huff. 'It was so like him,' Jim thinks. Murphy's dispassionate style brings to mind the novels of Javier Marías or Katie Kitamura, even as matters in his book descend into the inexplicable. Several people report having frightening, vivid dreams about sex and violence. A mysterious and beguiling woman turns up, declaring that Bruce invited her but acting unruffled by his absence. She also claims to have been married three times, though she looks like she's 25. 'I'm beginning to suspect you appeared this summer with an agenda,' Jim observes. This novel is oddly unclassifiable, and the ending leaves you wondering. Is it a 'Big Chill'-esque story about old friends who learn that the past is a different country? A novel about a haunted house in a malevolent town that doesn't much like outsiders? A murder mystery? Maybe it's all those things.
The Sun
05-07-2025
- The Sun
‘Wonderfully unspoilt' seaside town in Devon is one of the UK's best hidden spots
NESTLED in Devon is one of the UK's best hidden gems that is home to a Jurassic coastline, quaint seaside villages and pretty beaches. Budleigh Salterton is a "wonderfully unspoilt" seaside town in Devon, according to Sweetcombe Cottage Holidays. 4 4 Located just 20-minutes from Sidmouth, Budleigh Salterton is home to a huge beach and has fewer crowds than its popular neighbour. Just 7,000 people live in the seaside town. One person said in a Tripadvisor review: "Great scenery, friendly community, always clean, and great for the family." Another added that it is "wonderfully unspoilt". Alex Gwillim, a local expert from Sweetcombe Cottage Holidays said: "People often miss out on a visit to Budleigh Salterton because it is nestled between more popular destinations like Exmouth and Sidmouth which draw big crowds on a nice day. "Budleigh Salterton is a real hidden gem, boasting a beautiful pebble beach that stretches over two miles, the iconic red sandstone cliffs of the UNESCO World Heritage Jurassic coast, and a small town filled with unique local businesses to explore." There are plenty of things to do in the town including watersports such as paddle-boarding and kayaking, and there is a number of beach walks with local tea rooms and cafes. And as usual with quaint seaside towns - there is a great range of independent shops too. "Budleigh Salterton is also the perfect spot for nature lovers. Head along the beach towards the Otter Estuary Nature Reserve, a popular spot for bird watching," added Alex. "There are also easy walking trails with fantastic views of the Triassic sandstone cliffs and their fascinating geology." The perfect Haven holiday park for a kid-friendly break - with direct beach access, indoor waterpark and neighbouring seaside theme park In fact, the whole region is bursting with wildlife including beavers - which were once extinct but thanks to a reintroduction programme, they are now thriving around the town. As for places to stay, there are also a good amount of options. "[Because the town isn't too big, everything is easily accessible, and the beach is right on your doorstep," she continued. What makes the destination even better is that Budleigh Salterton's beach is one of the top 10 beaches in the South West, according to The Times and Sunday Times. The waters have been rated as 'excellent' in the Bathing Water Classifications 2024 - so it is a great spot if you want to take a dip. 4 And if you are worried about the beach being busy - it stretches 2.5miles long, so you are bound to find a spot. If you happen to be in the town during March or September, you can also attend the Budleigh Salterton Literature Festival which is one of the UK's best loved literary events, according to Visit Devon. The town also has an interesting history with connections to Sir Walter Raleigh - who was born nearby - and the region's salt-panning industry contributing the name 'Salterton'. Devon is also home to a Victorian English seaside town with no arcades or loud rides that has one of the UK's best beaches and it is loved by celebs. Plus, the hidden English beach that's the 'most beautiful place in the world' to close until next year.
