WARRINGTON Borough Council has made a u-turn on axing free car parking at Lymm and Stockton Heath, allowing a 15 minute concession for school runs.
The change of heart comes after more than 2,600 people signed a petition objecting to the loss of free car parking.
The concession has been given a luke warm reception by Lymm councillor Ian Marks who said:”Although the Council is not legally obliged to consult, we could have told them that no free parking for the first hour would cause problems if they had cared to consult with local councillors, businesses, schools and nurseries in the first place.
“Instead they thought they knew best and put out a press release in September saying that the changes to parking charges would lead to ‘an improved parking experience’. Most local residents regard this as nonsense which is why 2600 have signed our petition objecting to the changes.
“It will do little to help people wanting to pick up a prescription or do a small amount of shopping because they cannot be certain that they won’t be stuck in a queue. They might not want to risk getting fined by wardens who always seem to be around.
“We object strongly to these proposals because the only two Council areas that have been targeted are Lymm and Stockton Heath. The new charges are planned to raise an extra £212,000 which nearly trebles the money currently taken. This is unfair and is yet another attack by the Council on the south of the town. The Council justifies this because it is claimed there are free carparks near the Council owned ones in other parts of the Borough. We do not accept this argument because there are free carparks nearby in Lymm and Stockton Heath – they are called the street!
“Stopping or limiting free parking for the first hour will just create more congestion on the streets which local people will not welcome.
Traders in Lymm fear that the new charges will deter shoppers and be bad for business. Is this what the Council intends – surely not. We ask the Council to put these charges on hold until proper soundings have been taken with local people. I take a small amount of comfort that they have listened and made a slight change to their proposal but they need to do some more listening.”
A council spokesperson said: “After receiving feedback on the car parking charges decision we have incorporated a free 15-minute slot to allow for dropping off at schools and nurseries.”
Existing charges
Charging period 09:00 – 18:00 (Monday – Saturday)
0-1 hours free
1-2 hours 50p
2-3* hours £1 *Pepper Street 2-4hrs £2
3+** hours £2 **Pepper Street 4+ hrs £10
(No return within 2 hours)
Planned charges
Charging period 09:00 – 15:00 (Monday – Saturday)
0-3* hours £1 *Pepper Street 0-2hrs £1
3+ hours £2
(Removal of ‘no return within 2 hours’)
3 Comments
If parking charges do not bring in the suggested increased revenue will the council review the decision?? If so can I suggest a boycott of paying for parking until charges lifted?
And why such a jump in charges? Currently 50p for 1-2hrs going to a £1? What about a system of cheaper parking if you are going to have to pay sooner … 20p for 20mins (60p) for an hour then it’s not hiked up as much if you are just running for a prescription / sandwich. This will allow more passing trade.
In 2006 Ian Marks, unethically overturned a planning decision on the old Victorian School in Stockton Heath thus allowing the demolition of a beautiful heritage building and the construction of a new school with an additional 100 pupil places. There was no shortage of pupil places in the area at the time and some pupils were already travelling from distant areas. The additional 100 pupil places has vastly increased traffic congestion / pollution and parking problems.
Laughable that he is putting himself forward as the ‘champion’ to parking problems when he is the person who caused the problems in the first place.
Re the 15 mins concession to allow for the school run – why are parents, who by choice have decided upon a school that is too far for walking distance going to be allowed free parking when people who have to go for medical care are not?