The Vineyards, Great Baddow – “More free parking for shoppers will follow clampdown on illegal parking..”

The Rubicon West Group, owner of The Vineyards in the heart of Great Baddow, have confirmed that
2 hour free customer parking will be the key element of changes shortly to take place to the control of
parking around this popular neighbourhood shopping centre.

A spokesperson for Clem Dobson Associates, who manage the centre on behalf of Rubicon
said: “The 2 car parks to the North and South of the centre provide the main public car parking in the village
and, as with most car parks, pressure on spaces has increased over the years. As well as providing
shoppers’ parking we also need to provide parking for 64 residents who occupy the flats and
maisonettes over the shops and, also, for the business owners in The Vineyards.”

“Most shopping centres and nearly all local authorities nowadays charge for car parking which, whilst
providing a valuable income to the landowner, is a major deterrent to shoppers and does nothing to help
retailers. At The Vineyards, Rubicon firmly believe that free parking is essential to maintain the vitality of
the centre in an online world by encouraging shoppers to continue to use it for their everyday needs.”

“Rubicon have decided to continue the policy of 2 hours free parking and to support it by use of an
Automatic Number Plate Recognition system (ANPR). This will be operated by local parking company
Horizon Parking Limited. Cameras will pick up cars on entry and exit to the car parks with a fixed charge
penalty notice then being issued to the owner of any vehicle overstaying the 2 hour limit.”

“Although ANPR is a new system for The Vineyards, Horizon Parking have extensive experience of its
use in other locations. It won’t really make any difference to anyone who is using the car park correctly
at present. The system is designed to charge those who overstay and those who abuse the current free
parking. What Rubicon want to achieve is a well-run car park where the regulations are clear and
transparent and at the same time ensuring as far as possible that there are always spaces for shoppers
and residents alike. The new ANPR system is expected to go live around the beginning of April but
Horizon will be putting up notices at the car park entrances in advance to let people know.”

Paul Richards, Managing Director of Rubicon said:

“Local shopping is key to our communities, offering convenience shopping for our everyday
requirements. It is sustainable and should be lauded. Parking needs to be controlled but so many local
authorities lack vision in encouraging local shopping by penalising those who use their car. Our
message is clear: Come to The Vineyards; in 2 hours you will find most of what you need and want for
your weekly shop from a variety of national and independent retailers and still have time to visit the
hairdresser and / or relax in The Glasshouse Café!”