Increase in parking charges at Hollingworth Lake "an insult"

Zoe Attwood at Hollingworth Lake Car Park

Littleborough resident Zoe Attwood has described the increase in car parking charges as insulting to residents.

Zoe said: “It’s bad enough that we’ve had to adopt residents permit parking scheme in the area, but another rise in charges just sends the message that Rochdale Council is treating Lakeside residents and visitors as a cash cow.”

Parking charges at Hollingworth Lake rose this month between 10 and 40% for short stays and the maximum charge for over six hours now £5 - a whopping 127% rise.

“I’ve had complaints from residents - both inside and outside the permit zone - that this has turned into a relative’s tax.

“Anyone visiting elderly relatives in the area has been forced onto the car parks due to the permit system and are being hammered in the public car park.

“Families are being discouraged from bringing children to the water activity centre too.

“Local businesses like Mr Thomas’s, The Lake Lounge, The Marina and Wallis’s are all going to suffer as customers are choosing to eat elsewhere.

“The final insult to local people is that the money is not going to Littleborough Lakeside.

“It’s not even going back into the Pennines Township.

“It gets sucked up in the borough pot and supports free parking in places like Heywood, Middleton and Norden. It is massively unfair.”