CAMPAIGNERS fighting the controversial proposal to end free parking on car parks in South Warrington have won a reprieve.
A motion put to the borough council’s monthly meeting by Liberal Democrat councillors Brian Axcell and Bob Barr has been referred to the council’s car parking strategy group.
This means the proposal will come under scrutiny again – and that the introduction of charges on the council-owned car parks at Stockton Heath and Lymm will not start this month as originally planned.
It does not mean the council is about to do a U-turn – but it does mean the issue will be looked at again.
More than 5,000 people have signed a petition opposing the proposals and 80 businesses have also objected.
They claim reducing the two-hour free period on the pay-and-display car park to one hour has already hit trade in the two villages and that ending free parking altogether, with a 30p charge for up to two hours, will drive more people away.
Cllr Axcell told the council that before the reduction in free parking at Stockton Heath, the Forge car park was producing a surplus of £16,000 a year.
The council tried to increase this surplus by reducing free parking to one hour – but the tactic did not work. Less than half the target figure was being achieved.
But the change had caused great inconvenience for local residents and great damage to local businesses.
The council’s response to the protests had, almost unbelievably, been to decide to get rid of free parking in South Warrington altogether.
“This was a kick in the teeth for residents and businesses alike,” said Cllr Axcell.
Yet in the north of the borough, district car parks remained free.
This was unfair – and his opinion, illegal.
By contrast, the privately owned car parks at Birchwood Shopping Centre offered free parking for three hours.
Cllr Axcell said if the council was going to use district car parks as “cash cows”, at least it should be consistent across the borough.
“To pick on just one area is unfair, unreasonable and, in my view, illegal.”
The council decided to refer the issue back to the car parking strategy group.
Car park campaigners win reprieve
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
5 Comments
Car Parking Strategy Group……says it all really.
Good. As ever the council has made a complete hash of things however because all of this could have been avoided by talking to and listening to people in the first place. Now how much time has been wasted and money spent on this fiasco? I’d suggest also that the people of Stockton Heath remember the response of Cllr Laurence Murphy to the issue when it comes to the elections.
Add this to the strategy – do away with councillors' free parking privilages.
Knowing the council they probably haven’t even managed to work out how to implement the changes yet – so have decided to refer it back to the car parking strategy group to see if any one knows how to do it!
Is the parking Strategy Group ultimately responsible for the significant losses incurred by a failure to collect over a number of years the rents for garages and resident’s parking plots around the borough?