Work has begun to install parking charge meters and bays along a County Durham seafront as locals and visitors will soon have to pay £3 to park all day.

Motorists wishing to visit Seaham will from April 15 have to pay £1 per hour or £3 for a full day to park their cars in multiple car parks across the town.

The new measures which have been introduced by Durham County Council are to bring Seaham "in line" with other North East coastal destinations that already charge for parking.

The Northern Echo: Work has started to implement the charges in Seaham.Work has started to implement the charges in Seaham. (Image: SANDRA MADDOX)

The car parks which will see signs installed are:

  • Seaham Hall Beach 
  • Vane Tempest
  • Terrace Green
  • Seaham Marina
  • Dock Top
  • Noses Point 
  • Crimdon Beach

The Northern Echo: Work has started to implement the charges in Seaham.Work has started to implement the charges in Seaham. (Image: SANDRA MADDOX)

Despite thousands of objections, the charges were voted through by the council in February and photographs taken by members of the public show that work to create bays and install machines to take payments.

The charges were supposed to begin from April 1, but have now been pushed back to April 15.

The machine for payment at Seaham Hall Beach car park was also pictured being installed today, with just weeks to go until visitors to the beach will have to pay when they visit the seaside. 

The Northern Echo: Machine being installed by the council at Seaham Hall Beach car park.Machine being installed by the council at Seaham Hall Beach car park. (Image: NORTH BEACH COFFEE BAR)

Mark Jackson, Durham County Council’s head of transport and contract services, said: "The introduction of parking charges in six car parks on Seaham seafront will bring it into line with the rest of the car parks along the North East’s coast, where charges are already in place.

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"The charges, which will apply to all, will be £1 for up to one hour, or £3 to park all day. There will still be free car parking in numerous other car parks around Seaham town centre, all of which are a short walk from the seafront.

"Parking charges are widely used to control parking availability and support the commercial viability of town centres and attractions by increasing turnover of spaces in areas where there is high demand.

"They improve parking availability for residents and visitors, and in turn, increase the number of people coming into communities and spending money. They also help lower emissions and improve local air quality."