Newcastle City Council have announced plans to scrap the ‘Alive After Five’ parking scheme launched in 2010.
Currently, multi-storey car parks in the city centre are free of charge after 5pm and on street parking is free after 6.30pm.
As part of a car parking review, the council have announced from next year car parking charges could remain in place until 10pm in central city centre parking locations.
Proposed changes to some city centre parking charges that could be in place in Newcastle from next year have been set out. These proposals are subject to statutory consultation which will begin in late November.
— NewcastleCityCouncil (@NewcastleCC) November 5, 2021
Proposed changes also include replacing the all-day £3 parking fee on Sundays with a standard hourly rate charge.
The council claim the changes are in accordance with the demand for parking and the ‘need to reduce air pollution’.
Councillor Ged Bell, cabinet member for development, neighbourhoods and transport at Newcastle City Council, said: “The proposals we have set out reflect the need to manage and respond to changing demand for car parking in the city centre. We’ve not only seen changes to the way in which people travel, work, shop and spend time in the city centre since the pandemic, but also a change to the way in which businesses are operating. We must also take into account the need to reduce air pollution and our carbon footprint – both of which are greatly affected by the volume of traffic on our roads. We’re continuing to work with neighbouring councils and public transport providers to deliver network and service improvements for people travelling into Newcastle from our residential neighbourhoods and the wider region.”
In 2010, Newcastle City Council launched the ‘Alive After Five’ parking initiative in order to make ‘life in the city centre easier for everyone’.
The scheme set out to support businesses in the city centre by boosting evening shoppers.
Councillor Robin Ashby, Liberal Democrats said: “Alive After Five was an innovation introduced by the then Liberal Democrats council administration to support the evening economy, but incentivising people to use cars to drive into the city centre is no longer a sustainable choice. We are mindful that times are still difficult for retail, restaurants, and cultural venues and we want to see a vibrant evening economy in the city centre particularly as we enter the Christmas shopping season. The council should take this opportunity to work with NE1 and transport operators to ensure support for affordable and convenient public transport offers to significantly reduce driving into the city centre to enjoy an evening of shopping, dining, or the cinema or theatre.”
Find out more at https://t.co/OPf7VGTpGq
Sunderland’s beaches have been named among the best in the country for the 11th year running.
Seaburn and Roker were both named as winners of the Seaside Award by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy. The pair were once again handed Blue Flags, marking them out for their for their excellent water quality, cleanliness and attempts to constantly improve visitor amenities.
The Blue Flag awards, now in their 35th year, are issued by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy and act as ‘a quality mark so visitors can be sure the beaches boast top-notch facilities and meet the highest environmental standards’.
Linda Williams, Sunderland City Council’s cabinet member for Vibrant City, said: “It is fantastic to see Sunderland’s beautiful beaches once again awarded the prestigious Blue Flag and Seaside Award.
“Flying these flags at Roker and Seaburn shows everyone who visits that our seafront has excellent quality bathing water and first-class facilities.
“We’re very lucky to have fantastic beaches with beautiful, clean water to swim and bathe in, and this national recognition is testament to the hard work of everyone involved in keeping our beaches clean, tidy and well-maintained.”
Paul Lebihan, from Leam Lane, who has been living in Spain, was pulled from a river near Benidorm by ambulance crews on Monday.
A Gateshead family is appealing for help to bring an ‘amazing, selfless’ 25-year-old home, after he drowned in Spain while rescuing his dog from a river.
Paul Lebihan, from Leam Lane, died on Monday after getting into trouble in the Bolulla River, near Benidorm, after successfully freeing the dog from the current. Now his family has launched a fundraising appeal to help bring Paul’s body back home and give him the memorial he deserves.
Paul’s cousin, Kallym Bell, launched a GoFundMe page in support of Paul’s parents, Deborah and Paul Snr. In less than 24 hours the page had already raised over £7,000, with hundreds of people leaving comments paying tribute to ‘one of nicest men you could ever meet’.
Keen amateur boxer Paul was well known by many people across the Leam Lane Estate, and beloved by colleagues from the several years he spent working in the navy. Kallym, 19, called Paul: “An amazing, selfless man with a heart of gold, always the biggest laugh and the very best to be around.”
Donations can be made to help bring Paul home at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-remembrance-of-paul-lebihan
A disabled teenager said he felt ‘absolutely humiliated’ after he was refused entry to a Wetherspoons with his assistance dog. 19 year old River Cartledge, who has autism, fibromyalgia and arthritis – takes his assistance dog Chico most places with him.
Video footage below from Instagram shows him pleading with security guards and the manager of The Five Swans in Newcastle to let him inside the pub with his harnessed up Shih Tzu on Saturday night.
River said: “Their issue was the fact he was an assistance dog, and not a guide dog.
“I quoted the Equality Act 2010, and the guide for all businesses, both of which any business that’s open to the public like any Wetherspoons is, have to abide by legally, regardless of any “policy” they may have in place,” he added.
The Equality Act 2010 prohibits service providers, including taxis and restaurants, from discriminating against those who need an assistance dog with them. It also requires service providers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled customers.
River claimed he had a ‘severe meltdown and panic attack’ after the interaction. ‘I have never had an experience like this and it caused me to have a medical episode.’
Chico has belonged to River for eight years and was trained as an assistance dog two years ago. River said: “Assistance dog handlers such as myself get denied in public places more often than it’s talked about, and it always makes us feel like this, and like we’re the ones causing problems for ourselves by needing a dog, when in reality it’s the ableism and ignorance of other people, not the disabled person.”
He also added “‘I was straight up told that they only allowed seeing eye dogs and they didn’t allow assistance dogs, because of their “policy”.
According to Guide Dogs UK ‘75% of all assistance dog owners surveyed [in 2015] said they had been refused access to a service at some point because they had an assistance dog with them’.
Five Swans: sign saying they allow assistance dogs *face palm*
Wetherspoons’ policy states: “We do allow registered assistance dogs.
“In these circumstances, and to avoid any confusion or unnecessary upset, ensure that your dog is wearing its recognisable leash/collar or harness.
“It would also be helpful if you could bring along suitable documentation to explain your dog’s purpose.”
River said he had ID from Assistance Dogs UK, a certification body, with him but was unable to show it at the time. Chico was however wearing a harness.
Following the complaint to the pub chain, Wetherspoon’s spokesperson Eddie Gershon said: “It was an error not to let them in with the assistance dog.
“It was a genuine error and we apologise wholeheartedly.
“We can understand the fact they would have been upset and frustrated by the situation.
“Assistance dogs are allowed into Wetherspoon pubs and we will reiterate this to staff at the pub and the company’s pubs in general.
“They are more than welcome to visit the pub with the dog.”
Good dog Chico. Check out River and Chico’s adventures here!
Newcastle transfer rumours as January window approaches
Local mum left with serious injuries after being spiked
Rumours: How could Newcastle line-up after the January transfer window?
Humanitarian aid for Ukraine collection point in Newcastle
North-East Collection Points For Ukraine Donations
Favourites to sign for Newcastle in January, according to SkyBet
Sam Fender Celebrates Victory With Gregg’s-Filled Party Bus
Firework incident in crowd at Newcastle pub
