Today, myself and SENRUG committee members Andrew Carmichael and Trevor Watson met Ray Green from Green’s Agricultural Merchants (opposite the station in Coopies Lane) to discuss parking at the station. Both station car parks are now full every day, and SENRUG receives several posts and complaints from annoyed rail passengers who have got a ticket for parking illegally (eg outside of marked boxes). However, SENRUG believes an additional 20-30 or so spaces can be created from waste ground alongside the existing car parks and will shortly be putting forward proposals to Northern rail and Northumberland County Council. SENRUG continues to oppose parking charges as we believe this will have a negative impact particularly on number of passengers using local services. Worryingly, Northern Rail have confirmed introduction of charges is under consideration at a number of stations, despite previous assurances that nothing would happen until at least the end of the current franchise.
