DESPITE ongoing negotiations to secure a new site in Hexham for up to 400 new long-stay parking spaces, many businesses feel there could be a much cheaper solution.

Among them is Fore Street-based Crawford Higgins Associates, where it’s believed staff leaving to move their cars around the short-stay spaces could be costing the company up to £15,000 each year in lost time.

Jonathan Davey, an architectural technologist with the firm, believes the problem is the way existing spaces are being used.

“Parking should not mean our employees have to rush back from a site visit, to avoid a ticket,” said Jonathan, referring to the mix of two-hour, four-hour and all-day colour-coded bays which regularly cause confusion in the town’s Wentworth car park.

“It is my understanding that the changes to the parking arrangements were made to encourage tourism and additional retail trade into the town centre. But all they have done is limit the number of all-day spaces available for businesses and lead to staff leaving the office to move their car at least once every day.”

“I’ve done some calculations and losing at least 15 minutes of working time each day amounts to about £1,000 across the year, multiplied by the number of staff we have.”

Jonathan has raised his concerns with Hexham Town Council and believes bringing back permit parking for businesses should be considered.

It comes as members of Hexham Town Council revealed that they are working with Northumberland County Council to investigate the viability of the derelict bunker site, visible from Alemouth Road, as a new home for the flooded Tyne Mills county council depot and up to 400 free long-stay parking bays.

Mayor of Hexham, Coun. Trevor Cessford said: “We’ve been aware of the potential of the bunker site for at least two years, but because of confidentiality, we’ve been able to say very little about it. The fact remains that, like in hundreds of other places up and down the country, there have always been problems with parking in Hexham.

“What we’re trying to do now is move forward and secure something which could make things a lot better in the future.”

Town council member and independent county councillor for Hexham West, Derek Kennedy, is calling for immediate action.

“I brought a motion to the town council in January, calling for action and even stated that the bunker site was the best option.

“So what has happened in nine months? Absolutely nothing.”

Although a group of officials looking at plans were spotted at the bunker site on Tuesday, a spokeswoman for Northumberland County Council said there was no progress to report at this time.

gemma.brown@hexham-courant.co.uk