Prosecution peppers witnesses with questions at Randy Taylor trial

Tuesday, 5:30 p.m.: 

Nelson County Commonwealth’s Attorney Anthony Martin questioned numerous witnesses Tuesday, including the man Randy Taylor claimed was with him and Alexis Murphy the night she vanished.

Special Agent John Pittman of the FBI said in court that Taylor had stated that he, Murphy, and a third man had gone to Taylor’s property off U.S. 29 to perform a drug deal.

Pittman said Taylor later identified that man as Dameon Bradley.

Bradley took the stand Tuesday to say such an exchange never took place.

“Alexis and I have never been in the same room together,” Bradley said.

When Murphy disappeared, Bradley was dating her cousin, he said.

Bradley said he was at a hotel in Madison Heights the night Murphy disappeared. Murphy and Bradley had communicated through Facebook, but never in person.

Shortly thereafter, Bradley went to Atlanta to visit his father and Birmingham to search for work.

Upon being contacted by the FBI, Bradley said he willingly took a DNA test.

Pittman testified in court Tuesday that search teams did not find any traces of DNA of an African-American man in Taylor’s camper.

When asked if he knew Taylor, Bradley said his former girlfriend had bought a car from an automobile dealership in Ruckersville where Taylor had worked.

Taylor’s attorney, Michael Hallahan, had subpoenaed Bradley as a witness, but excused him following his Tuesday testimony.

“I think everyone was waiting for poor Dameon Bradley,” said Trina Murphy, great-aunt to Alexis, following the Tuesday hearing. “Clearly, he wasn’t there and he wasn’t involved.”

Martin ended Tuesday saying he may call on one to two more witnesses Wednesday, before the prosecution rests.

Tuesday, 2:52 p.m.: “I didn’t hurt the girl,” Randy Taylor tells investigators in a recorded interview played during the fourth day of his murder trial.

Taylor, 48, faces murder and other charges in connection with the disappearance of 17-year-old Murphy, of Nelson County.

Tuesday afternoon, Nelson County Commonwealth’s Attorney Anthony Martin called on John Pittman, a special agent with the FBI, to testify.

Initially, Taylor denied knowing Murphy, Pittman said. But investigators told Taylor that DNA tests proved the hair extension, piercing, and nail found in his camper matched Murphy’s DNA.

Following this revelation, Taylor asked to see his son, Pittman said in court.

In a recorded interview played in court, Taylor tells investigators he struck up a conversation with Murphy at the Liberty gas station, asking her where he might buy some marijuana.

Murphy told him she knew someone and that he should drive to a nearby car wash, Taylor says in the recorded interview.

At the car wash, the drug dealer seemed hesitant, Taylor says, so he invited him and Murphy back to his property.

“We came back here. We smoked a little weed,” Taylor says in the interview.

After the drug exchange, Murphy and the dealer left, Taylor says.

“Nothing bad happened here,” Taylor tells investigators.

In the recording, investigators seem reluctant to believe Taylor’s account of the drug deal.

“I think something more happened here,” says Investigator Billy Mays, of the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office.

---

Tuesday, 12:16 p.m.: Nelson County’s prosecutor introduced numerous pieces of evidence in court Tuesday morning, including Alexis Murphy’s cell phone and a scrapbook of photos of women dressed in lingerie found on the property where Randy Taylor lived, as Taylor’s murder trial continued for a fourth day.

Dustin Simerly, an electronics engineer with the FBI, testified Murphy’s phone had “a huge amount of extensive damage.”

“The back was completely smashed off,” he said.

The battery had been pulled from the phone, and the microprocessor of the white iPhone 4 lay cracked, so investigators could not retrieve any information from the phone.

Taylor, 48, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, murder in commission of abduction and abduction with intent to defile in connection with the disappearance of Alexis Murphy, 17, of Shipman in Nelson County. She was last seen Aug. 3. Taylor’s trial, now in its fourth day, is expected to last two weeks in all.

On Aug. 14, canine teams discovered the phone about 70 feet from where Taylor’s camper sat, said Jon Cromer, of the Virginia State Police.

Cromer said the phone sat within an area of “dense growth,” though it was spotted by a search crew member.

“It was clearly visible,” Cromer said.

Cromer went on to testify that crews discovered a red scrapbook in the abandoned home near Taylor’s camper. The scrapbook photos featured what Cromer described as “glamor shots” with some women dressed in lingerie.

Several photographs had the head of a blonde girl imposed on a different body. Cromer said he identified this girl as the daughter of the owner of an automobile dealership where Taylor had worked in Ruckersville.

Michael Hallahan, Taylor’s attorney, pointed out in court that Taylor neither lived in the home, nor did it belong to him. When Hallahan asked if any forensic testing had been done to link Taylor to the scrapbook, Cromer said he was not aware of any such testing.

---

Tuesday, 11:09 a.m.: Jurors on Tuesday heard another audio recording between law enforcement and the man accused of murder in the disappearance of Nelson County 17-year-old Alexis Murphy.

Randy Taylor, 48, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, murder in commission of abduction and abduction with intent to defile. His trial, now in its fourth day, is expected to last two weeks in all.

Nelson County Commonwealth’s Attorney Anthony Martin called Nelson County Sheriff’s Deputy Billy Mays, the sheriff’s office’s lead investigator in the case, to testify Tuesday morning.

Martin played a recorded interview between Mays and Taylor from Aug. 7, four days after Murphy vanished. In the interview, Mays asks Taylor about his whereabouts on the days surrounding Murphy’s disappearance.

Taylor often responds that he cannot remember.

“There are a lot of gaps here,” Mays tells Taylor at one point.

Taylor told investigators he could not recall stopping at the Liberty gas station on U.S. 29.

A gas-station cashier has testified she saw Murphy and Taylor talking there Aug. 3. Surveillance video captured Taylor holding the door open for Murphy as she entered the store, and Murphy’s car — her dad’s white 2003 Nissan Maxima — leaving the gas station, following Taylor’s camoflauged truck. Murphy’s car was later found in an Albemarle County parking lot.

“You’re telling me where I was, but I don’t remember being there,” Taylor says in the recording.

In the recording, Taylor admits going to Charlottesville Aug. 4, going to Applebee’s and getting a cab ride home, but he denies driving a white car.

At one point in the recording, Taylor sounds agitated, saying, “You can arrest me,” but he repeatedly maintains he does not know what happened to Murphy.

Also Tuesday, Martin questioned John Webb, a firearms and toolmark examiner with the FBI.

Webb testified that in October, he tested a human nail matched to Murphy that was found in Taylor’s camper, off U.S. 29 in Lovingston. He said he determined Murphy’s nail showed no imprints or damage from tools such as clippers.

Martin showed a picture of the nail, its edge jagged and torn, to the jury.

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Is the decline of once-thriving thoroughfare symptomatic of town’s problems?

Is the decline of once-thriving thoroughfare symptomatic of town’s problems?

10:00am Tuesday 6th May 2014 in News

SIGN OF TIMES: To Let signs compete for space in Post House Wynd, Darlington

POST HOUSE WYND used to be one of the most bustling streets in Darlington town centre.

These days, it seems there are more shops available for let than there are open for business.

Many shoppers and shop owners in the little thoroughfare linking High Row and Skinnergate say the rapid decline is down to one main issue – parking.

It is evident people are choosing to spend their money in the region’s shopping centres with free parking facilities such as the MetroCentre, and Teesside Park, instead of paying to park in Darlington.

Others point to the rise of online shopping and the economic gloom of recent years as reasons for the decline.

Gail Harker, owner of Lady J Lingerie, said: “It’s hard for us to compete with the main high street shops. We’re trying to offer something different in order to draw people here, but it’s difficult.”

Les McGhee, of Asquiths jeweller, added: “The street has a history of jewellers and that’s why we moved here 17 years ago.

“Now Bramwells and Hoopers have gone. It’s like skittles, once one goes, we will all go.”

Other shops that have departed Post House Wynd in recent months are Parker tools, Seasons cafe, Ventur photography, and the popular Nearly Naked Chef deli.

Shopper Marilyn Scoffin said: “It’s a lovely street and it’s such a shame.”

The pretty little street used to have a very high footfall. Most shop owners say this was the reason they chose base themselves there in the first place.

That has declined in recent years.

Alex Hirst, manager of Darlington’s business improvement district company, Distinct Darlington, highlighted the positive.

She said: “It is unfortunate to see a higher proportion of empty units in Post House Wynd. However, compared with the national average of 13 per cent, Darlington’s vacant shop rate fares better, at nine per cent, and this is continuing to improve.

“This demonstrates that in a difficult economic climate, Darlington town centre is continuing to develop above and beyond the national picture.

“Several small business owners on the street say they are looking for alternative premises as rent is too high and overheads are hard to cover when business is not at his best.

Staffs are losing their jobs and livelihoods are being put at risk, so for Post House Wynd, things may get worse before they get better.

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Comments (21)

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11:02am Tue 6 May 14

JJ2000

says…

1. Business owners are being illegally and unethically forced to subsidise the creation and continued existence of BiD on the premise that Bid would generate more footfall and business into the town. This is not happening.
2. The costs of rent and utilities are indeed increasing and Bid seem to acknowledge this, so why are they taking even more money from businesses based on the results of a severely flawed vote which is compounding the financial issues raised.
3. As staff lose jobs a consequence is that there are more people in the area who have to be more frugal with their money, meaning less money for local business.
4. Darlington is too much of a farce to get parked for any length of time. Shopping should generally be a pleasing and relaxing experience, but tiny car parks with limited access charged at nonsense rates being patrolled by officers wearing dark colours with red emblems (akin to 1940′s Paris) who are waiting for you to be 5 minutes late or 0.25mm over the white marked bays (shrinking yearly) so they can drag you off never to be seen again hardly contributes to a welcoming experience.

BiD are not doing their job, DBC are not doing their job, and until they do, Darlington will continue to decline.
Also, comparing Darlington to other towns and national averages is the very reason to why the majority of the UK is going backwards. Being happy at being average is not a reason to boast.

While it may cost a little more in fuel to go to Teesside park or the Metro Center, the fact that you can park and stay all day, do what you want and in your own time at a pace that suits you, means that overall, it’s more beneficial to go there than Darlington.

While the internet certainly has its effects, people still physically shop if the experience is pleasurable.
Darlington is not pleasurable any more.

Wake up DBC and BiD and take some **** accountability, this is your legacy that you’re creating. Don’t put the onus on the residents of a town whose heart is being being ignored by those who are supposed to be responsible for it.

1. Business owners are being illegally and unethically forced to subsidise the creation and continued existence of BiD on the premise that Bid would generate more footfall and business into the town. This is not happening.
2. The costs of rent and utilities are indeed increasing and Bid seem to acknowledge this, so why are they taking even more money from businesses based on the results of a severely flawed vote which is compounding the financial issues raised.
3. As staff lose jobs a consequence is that there are more people in the area who have to be more frugal with their money, meaning less money for local business.
4. Darlington is too much of a farce to get parked for any length of time. Shopping should generally be a pleasing and relaxing experience, but tiny car parks with limited access charged at nonsense rates being patrolled by officers wearing dark colours with red emblems (akin to 1940′s Paris) who are waiting for you to be 5 minutes late or 0.25mm over the white marked bays (shrinking yearly) so they can drag you off never to be seen again hardly contributes to a welcoming experience.

BiD are not doing their job, DBC are not doing their job, and until they do, Darlington will continue to decline.
Also, comparing Darlington to other towns and national averages is the very reason to why the majority of the UK is going backwards. Being happy at being average is not a reason to boast.

While it may cost a little more in fuel to go to Teesside park or the Metro Center, the fact that you can park and stay all day, do what you want and in your own time at a pace that suits you, means that overall, it’s more beneficial to go there than Darlington.

While the internet certainly has its effects, people still physically shop if the experience is pleasurable.
Darlington is not pleasurable any more.

Wake up DBC and BiD and take some **** accountability, this is your legacy that you’re creating. Don’t put the onus on the residents of a town whose heart is being being ignored by those who are supposed to be responsible for it.
JJ2000

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11:15am Tue 6 May 14

Rosvanian

says…

MSG wrote:
Yes it is parking that is the problem. The town hall car park is being built on. The old coach station car park is being built on. The parking is not free like Middlesbrough, Tesside park or even Darlington amp; North Road retail parks. The ring road is being made anti-car and pro-bus, even for those of us who have lost their bus services due to Borough Council cuts ! This disaster is being masterminded by the inept council leader Dixon and its unrequired chief executive Burns, both on their vast salaries. These two need to be sacked and get this town back on its feet before it dies !

Yak, yak, yak, bloody councillors, yak, yak, yak, inept, yak, yak, yak, disgrace, yeak, yak, yak, yak, blah, blah, blah.

You know, I’ve got it on good authority that Bill Dixon and Ada Burns – yes, themselves personally – were responsible for the No 24 bus being late at 10.00am last Friday morning causing me to be late for a doctor’s appointment, the scuffle outside my local at 10.30pm on Saturday night, and the heavy shower that occurred on Sunday afternoon just after I’d hung out my washing. All masterminded by themselves ,personally, Well, Dixon and Burns, you don’t fool me. No siree.

[quote][p][bold]MSG[/bold] wrote:
Yes it is parking that is the problem. The town hall car park is being built on. The old coach station car park is being built on. The parking is not free like Middlesbrough, Tesside park or even Darlington North Road retail parks. The ring road is being made anti-car and pro-bus, even for those of us who have lost their bus services due to Borough Council cuts ! This disaster is being masterminded by the inept council leader Dixon and its unrequired chief executive Burns, both on their vast salaries. These two need to be sacked and get this town back on its feet before it dies ![/p][/quote]Yak, yak, yak, bloody councillors, yak, yak, yak, inept, yak, yak, yak, disgrace, yeak, yak, yak, yak, blah, blah, blah.

You know, I’ve got it on good authority that Bill Dixon and Ada Burns – yes, themselves personally – were responsible for the No 24 bus being late at 10.00am last Friday morning causing me to be late for a doctor’s appointment, the scuffle outside my local at 10.30pm on Saturday night, and the heavy shower that occurred on Sunday afternoon just after I’d hung out my washing. All masterminded by themselves ,personally, Well, Dixon and Burns, you don’t fool me. No siree.
Rosvanian

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1:02pm Tue 6 May 14

miketually

says…

Online retail sales have been growing at roughly 18% per year, every year for the last few years. This, coupled with the recession, is bound to impact upon the high street. Based on the number of empty units, Darlington is faring better than other towns in the region.

Car parking is a balancing act. If it’s made free, it will fill up and people won’t come because it’s hard to park. If it’s too expensive, it will put off shoppers.

I think some shops perhaps need to think about when they’re opening. If they’re competing with Teesside Park, their opening hours need to reflect this. After 6pm parking in town is free but the shops are shut…

The council will have figures for when the car parks are busiest. It makes sense to keep the charge for these times but decrease it when they’re quieter. Perhaps we need free parking after 4pm so those people heading home after school/work are able to call into the town centre? On a Sunday, parking is almost free, so if the price of parking were the only issue we’d expect the town to be as busy at Teesside Park on a Sunday?

What I don’t think helps are constant negative stories in the Echo. Whenever I go into town on a weekend it’s busy and pleasant, but this isn’t reflected in the picture given by the paper.

Online retail sales have been growing at roughly 18% per year, every year for the last few years. This, coupled with the recession, is bound to impact upon the high street. Based on the number of empty units, Darlington is faring better than other towns in the region.

Car parking is a balancing act. If it’s made free, it will fill up and people won’t come because it’s hard to park. If it’s too expensive, it will put off shoppers.

I think some shops perhaps need to think about when they’re opening. If they’re competing with Teesside Park, their opening hours need to reflect this. After 6pm parking in town is free but the shops are shut…

The council will have figures for when the car parks are busiest. It makes sense to keep the charge for these times but decrease it when they’re quieter. Perhaps we need free parking after 4pm so those people heading home after school/work are able to call into the town centre? On a Sunday, parking is almost free, so if the price of parking were the only issue we’d expect the town to be as busy at Teesside Park on a Sunday?

What I don’t think helps are constant negative stories in the Echo. Whenever I go into town on a weekend it’s busy and pleasant, but this isn’t reflected in the picture given by the paper.
miketually

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5:18pm Tue 6 May 14

thetruthyoucanthandlethetruth

says…

The decline of Darlington town center is not just down to parking – although the level of parking fees here certainly doesn’t help that’s for sure. You need to look a little deeper,… overflowing bins everywhere, cigarette ends overflowing from every bin in sight, smokers stood outside most pubs and shop entrances, filthy pavements covered in litter and chewing gum, buses, some of the people themselves – there are so many fat chavs and foul mouthed scum bags roaming around on any given day that decent folk would rather just avoid the place all together. And that’s before we even get into shops situation….Charity shops galore , betting shops galore, Greggs and too many other fast food outlets, the complete lack of public toilets, the fact you can’t drink from a glass when you buy a drink from a pub and sit outside. Oh and of course the Internet, where you will nearly always find a better deal and better value for money, and be able to avoid all of the above.

I could go on, but there’s little or no point as the place is a lost cause these days – ruined by interfering Labour Councils and busybody’s hell bent of pursuing their own private agendas and ignoring the wishes and needs of the local businesses and people who use the town.

The decline of Darlington town center is not just down to parking – although the level of parking fees here certainly doesn’t help that’s for sure. You need to look a little deeper,… overflowing bins everywhere, cigarette ends overflowing from every bin in sight, smokers stood outside most pubs and shop entrances, filthy pavements covered in litter and chewing gum, buses, some of the people themselves – there are so many fat chavs and foul mouthed scum bags roaming around on any given day that decent folk would rather just avoid the place all together. And that’s before we even get into shops situation….Charity shops galore , betting shops galore, Greggs and too many other fast food outlets, the complete lack of public toilets, the fact you can’t drink from a glass when you buy a drink from a pub and sit outside. Oh and of course the Internet, where you will nearly always find a better deal and better value for money, and be able to avoid all of the above.

I could go on, but there’s little or no point as the place is a lost cause these days – ruined by interfering Labour Councils and busybody’s hell bent of pursuing their own private agendas and ignoring the wishes and needs of the local businesses and people who use the town.
thetruthyoucanthandlethetruth

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5:37pm Tue 6 May 14

thetruthyoucanthandlethetruth

says…

miketually wrote:
Online retail sales have been growing at roughly 18% per year, every year for the last few years. This, coupled with the recession, is bound to impact upon the high street. Based on the number of empty units, Darlington is faring better than other towns in the region.

Car parking is a balancing act. If it’s made free, it will fill up and people won’t come because it’s hard to park. If it’s too expensive, it will put off shoppers.

I think some shops perhaps need to think about when they’re opening. If they’re competing with Teesside Park, their opening hours need to reflect this. After 6pm parking in town is free but the shops are shut…

The council will have figures for when the car parks are busiest. It makes sense to keep the charge for these times but decrease it when they’re quieter. Perhaps we need free parking after 4pm so those people heading home after school/work are able to call into the town centre? On a Sunday, parking is almost free, so if the price of parking were the only issue we’d expect the town to be as busy at Teesside Park on a Sunday?

What I don’t think helps are constant negative stories in the Echo. Whenever I go into town on a weekend it’s busy and pleasant, but this isn’t reflected in the picture given by the paper.

Are you talking about the same town as everyone else on here?

[quote][p][bold]miketually[/bold] wrote:
Online retail sales have been growing at roughly 18% per year, every year for the last few years. This, coupled with the recession, is bound to impact upon the high street. Based on the number of empty units, Darlington is faring better than other towns in the region.

Car parking is a balancing act. If it’s made free, it will fill up and people won’t come because it’s hard to park. If it’s too expensive, it will put off shoppers.

I think some shops perhaps need to think about when they’re opening. If they’re competing with Teesside Park, their opening hours need to reflect this. After 6pm parking in town is free but the shops are shut…

The council will have figures for when the car parks are busiest. It makes sense to keep the charge for these times but decrease it when they’re quieter. Perhaps we need free parking after 4pm so those people heading home after school/work are able to call into the town centre? On a Sunday, parking is almost free, so if the price of parking were the only issue we’d expect the town to be as busy at Teesside Park on a Sunday?

What I don’t think helps are constant negative stories in the Echo. Whenever I go into town on a weekend it’s busy and pleasant, but this isn’t reflected in the picture given by the paper.[/p][/quote]Are you talking about the same town as everyone else on here?
thetruthyoucanthandlethetruth

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8:51pm Tue 6 May 14

miketually

says…

thetruthyoucanthandl
ethetruth wrote:

miketually wrote:
Online retail sales have been growing at roughly 18% per year, every year for the last few years. This, coupled with the recession, is bound to impact upon the high street. Based on the number of empty units, Darlington is faring better than other towns in the region.

Car parking is a balancing act. If it’s made free, it will fill up and people won’t come because it’s hard to park. If it’s too expensive, it will put off shoppers.

I think some shops perhaps need to think about when they’re opening. If they’re competing with Teesside Park, their opening hours need to reflect this. After 6pm parking in town is free but the shops are shut…

The council will have figures for when the car parks are busiest. It makes sense to keep the charge for these times but decrease it when they’re quieter. Perhaps we need free parking after 4pm so those people heading home after school/work are able to call into the town centre? On a Sunday, parking is almost free, so if the price of parking were the only issue we’d expect the town to be as busy at Teesside Park on a Sunday?

What I don’t think helps are constant negative stories in the Echo. Whenever I go into town on a weekend it’s busy and pleasant, but this isn’t reflected in the picture given by the paper.

Are you talking about the same town as everyone else on here?

I do sometimes wonder.

I go through the town centre twice every day on my way to/from work, pop down on some lunchtimes, and go down a couple of weekends each month with my kids, so I have a pretty good idea what it’s like. This impression seems to be backed up by some others on here, people I know who visit the town, and the figures given in the article.

The people complaining seem to be the same people who say they never go into town, but drive to Teesside Park or Northallerton instead.

[quote][p][bold]thetruthyoucanthandl
ethetruth[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]miketually[/bold] wrote:
Online retail sales have been growing at roughly 18% per year, every year for the last few years. This, coupled with the recession, is bound to impact upon the high street. Based on the number of empty units, Darlington is faring better than other towns in the region.

Car parking is a balancing act. If it’s made free, it will fill up and people won’t come because it’s hard to park. If it’s too expensive, it will put off shoppers.

I think some shops perhaps need to think about when they’re opening. If they’re competing with Teesside Park, their opening hours need to reflect this. After 6pm parking in town is free but the shops are shut…

The council will have figures for when the car parks are busiest. It makes sense to keep the charge for these times but decrease it when they’re quieter. Perhaps we need free parking after 4pm so those people heading home after school/work are able to call into the town centre? On a Sunday, parking is almost free, so if the price of parking were the only issue we’d expect the town to be as busy at Teesside Park on a Sunday?

What I don’t think helps are constant negative stories in the Echo. Whenever I go into town on a weekend it’s busy and pleasant, but this isn’t reflected in the picture given by the paper.[/p][/quote]Are you talking about the same town as everyone else on here?[/p][/quote]I do sometimes wonder.

I go through the town centre twice every day on my way to/from work, pop down on some lunchtimes, and go down a couple of weekends each month with my kids, so I have a pretty good idea what it’s like. This impression seems to be backed up by some others on here, people I know who visit the town, and the figures given in the article.

The people complaining seem to be the same people who say they never go into town, but drive to Teesside Park or Northallerton instead.
miketually

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10:25pm Tue 6 May 14

settheworldonfire

says…

miketually wrote:
Online retail sales have been growing at roughly 18% per year, every year for the last few years. This, coupled with the recession, is bound to impact upon the high street. Based on the number of empty units, Darlington is faring better than other towns in the region.

Car parking is a balancing act. If it’s made free, it will fill up and people won’t come because it’s hard to park. If it’s too expensive, it will put off shoppers.

I think some shops perhaps need to think about when they’re opening. If they’re competing with Teesside Park, their opening hours need to reflect this. After 6pm parking in town is free but the shops are shut…

The council will have figures for when the car parks are busiest. It makes sense to keep the charge for these times but decrease it when they’re quieter. Perhaps we need free parking after 4pm so those people heading home after school/work are able to call into the town centre? On a Sunday, parking is almost free, so if the price of parking were the only issue we’d expect the town to be as busy at Teesside Park on a Sunday?

What I don’t think helps are constant negative stories in the Echo. Whenever I go into town on a weekend it’s busy and pleasant, but this isn’t reflected in the picture given by the paper.

I recently went to Alnwick for the day….Guess what… free parking all day every day has been introduced…The town was heaving with shoppers…..

[quote][p][bold]miketually[/bold] wrote:
Online retail sales have been growing at roughly 18% per year, every year for the last few years. This, coupled with the recession, is bound to impact upon the high street. Based on the number of empty units, Darlington is faring better than other towns in the region.

Car parking is a balancing act. If it’s made free, it will fill up and people won’t come because it’s hard to park. If it’s too expensive, it will put off shoppers.

I think some shops perhaps need to think about when they’re opening. If they’re competing with Teesside Park, their opening hours need to reflect this. After 6pm parking in town is free but the shops are shut…

The council will have figures for when the car parks are busiest. It makes sense to keep the charge for these times but decrease it when they’re quieter. Perhaps we need free parking after 4pm so those people heading home after school/work are able to call into the town centre? On a Sunday, parking is almost free, so if the price of parking were the only issue we’d expect the town to be as busy at Teesside Park on a Sunday?

What I don’t think helps are constant negative stories in the Echo. Whenever I go into town on a weekend it’s busy and pleasant, but this isn’t reflected in the picture given by the paper.[/p][/quote]I recently went to Alnwick for the day….Guess what… free parking all day every day has been introduced…The town was heaving with shoppers…..
settheworldonfire

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