MORE than 3,000 residents in South Warrington have petitioned Warrington Council to withdraw its changes to parking charges proposed in Lymm and Stockton Heath.
The major change is the removal of the one hour free parking from 12 December.
A petition containing over 3000 signatures against the changes was presented to a full meeting of Warrington Council this week by Liberal Democrat Parish Councillor Anna Fradgley.
Cllr Fradgley told the Council that there were several grounds for objection. “Firstly the changes are unfair and discriminatory because other district car parks were free to use without charges. The Council claimed this was because there were other free car parks nearby in these areas, but the same goes for Lymm and Stockton Heath. Residents see the South being used as a ‘cash cow’ to raise an extra £212,000.
“Secondly there will be more car parking on streets, which will add to congestion. Thirdly some people will shop elsewhere which will be bad for business in the villages. Some small businesses are already struggling. Most retail centres in the town have free or long periods of free parking because their owners clearly believe this is beneficial to their customers.
“Finally there is the effect on residents. We welcome the recent decision to allow 15 minutes free parking which will help parents dropping children off at nurseries. But it is too risky not to pay, if you are collecting a prescription or buying a newspaper.
“Particularly in Lymm there has been no proper consultation with local traders, councillors and residents. This would have been sensible even if not required by law. We are asking the Council to hold back on introducing the changes until this has happened. Ironically, Lymm is busy at night when people are in bars and restaurants. A £1 charge would go unnoticed, but parking is free then! We also want the Council to review its Borough-wide parking strategy and apply the same policy everywhere.”
After the meeting Lymm Borough Councillor Ian Marks added, “The Council needs to review its Constitution on the way it handles debates on petitions. I had asked the Mayor for permission to speak but was told I couldn’t because they had run out of time.
“I felt as if I had been gagged. I had intended to repeat our challenge to the Council over the legality of the changes. According to the law, the Notice of Variation method they used allows only changes to charges. It is our contention that one of the other changes they have made is nothing to do with charges and therefore unlawful.”
The Council refused to back the petitioner’s request but said they would monitor the situation.
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Lib Dem Cllr Fradgley says “Finally there is the effect on residents. We welcome the recent decision to allow 15 minutes free parking which will help parents dropping children off at nurseries. But it is too risky not to pay, if you are collecting a prescription or buying a newspaper.”.
Note, ‘the effect on residents’ is last on her list! How typical! the effect of residents was also last on the Lib Dem list when they overturned a legal planning decision and forced the demolition of Stockton Heath Primary and the building of a new school with an extra 100 pupil places. As there were already 900 surplus pupil places in a two mile area, this change brought in pupils from far and wide, increasing traffic congestion, pollution and parking on streets.
Cllr Marks, the main man in the destruction of our heritage and the cause of enhanced congestion & pollution, who refused to take notice of the thousands of signatories on the petition to save our school now complains of being “gagged” and illegalities. What a joke!
There is discrimination in the new charges, the 15min free time doesn’t really benefit ‘local residents’, so why grant it?
The best solution would be to have 24hr parking charges, the extra money made from removing free parking after 6pm would be enough to allow a first hour free and still make profit.