Mossley folk just say no — parking fees have to go!

Reporter: Gill Potts
Date published: 20 March 2015


MOSSLEY folk are giving Tameside Council the rap over parking charges.

The “Just Say No — Mossley” campaign has just hit a high note with the release of a rapping anthem to drive home the anger of residents over the introduction of parking charges in January.

Huddersfield Road resident Mark Brakspear penned the lyrics and financed the recording of the track which got its first public airing during the half-time interval at a Mossley AFC home game.

With lines such as, “We are the folk from Moss-ley and we want our parking to be free,” Mark’s hoping the tune will entice people to join the growing cause against charges recently imposed on Mossley Market Ground and Mill Street car park.

Drivers are being asked to pay 20p for one hour, 50p for up to four hours or £1 to park all day. There are no charges on Sundays.

But Mark — who says 2,000 people have already signed his petition — believes the charge is already having an effect on retailers as people make a stand and refuse to park and pay.

“I thought this was a good way of getting the message out there and raising the profile of the campaign — I’m definitely not a songwriter by day,” said Mark, who works in mental health.

“Our biggest concerns are that it will drive people away from the town which we are trying to revive and that no one was consulted.

“The pay machines were literally installed overnight. The council never spoke to residents, retailers, schools, or even the police, as I understand it.

“For the small amount of revenue it will generate, the social cost to Mossley will be much higher as people forsake the retailers and park further down the road at Tesco where parking is free.

“I’ve surveyed some retailers and it is already having an effect, particularly on the shops on Manchester Road. The chemist on there is even offering to refund people’s 20p parking charges to encourage people to come in.

“Some people have already been fined for not paying the charge so they are not going to come back.

“We’re trying to make Mossley a destination and develop the town and this has thrown a real spanner in the works.”

Mark is now making a video with local retailers and Mossley community groups to accompany the song which can be heard on the campaigner’s Facebook page “Just Say No — Mossley”.

Feelings against the charge are so strong that it is believed the pay machines, which sometimes work intermittently, have even been sabotaged with super glue.

Former Mossley councillor Paul Douthwaite, who helped to lead a successful campaign against the council’s recent proposals to sell off the market ground, said the charges will be a severe blow to the town and called on residents to join in opposing them.

“The council has publicly said it is not going to sell the market ground,” said Mr Douthwaite.

“I’d like to say a big thank you to the people of Mossley — around 3,000 of them — who got behind the market ground campaign and showed they won’t be dictated to.

“Let’s hope they do the same over the parking charges.”

A Tameside Council spokesman said: “Parking fees were introduced after a full and transparent process and the rates in Mossley compare very favourably with those in other parts of the borough.

“Tameside Council has charges to pay — in particular ever-increasing utility rates.

“Motorists need to contribute to those charges if they are using town centre land for parking.”