Being charged up to £5 to park your car in a council run car park in Barry and Cowbridge – what do you think?
The Vale Council Labour and LLantwit First cabinet members sat down on Monday evening and approved proposals for the introduction of significant car parking costs in several parts of Barry and Cowbridge.
I have held discussions with traders and residents from across the Vale about parking over the past couple of months. In this column just last month, I re-iterated my support for local traders and for the Vale authority to listen to their needs.
Many traders understand that parking can be an issue, but the local authority must not go too far and damage trade in our towns. Introducing charges for car parking should not be considered as a free hit, and in light of recent developments around the country – the Vale council seem to be swimming against the tide. Recently in Cardigan, parking meters were damaged in the West Wales market town and as a result traders reported a very healthy 50% increase in sales!
The timing of car parking charging proposals couldn’t be worse. The local authority has the ability to see free car parking provision as an important service provided for local council tax payers, who are also high street traders.
I was disappointed to be informed by Vale cabinet member, Cllr Gwyn John on July 8th that the local authority had no available “resources and funding” for a review of car parking. Yet here we are three weeks later with car parking charges having been introduced in selective parts of the Vale.
These plans leave a number of unanswered questions, as in many parts of the Vale the daily use of a car is vital. Any plan that pushes up the cost of living, and undermines the growth of our high streets must have a very clear justification which I am yet to see. I know that the cabinet members from the Vale Council understand that fundamental change is taking place on our high streets with competition from online retailing – so I would have expected them look at car parking provision in a more inventive and positive way.
I am in regular discussion with Marcus Jones MP, the High Streets Minister who is overseeing some fantastic initiatives around Great Britain that support the wonderful character of our the towns and villages. I don’t want the unique character we have to be lost in the Vale of Glamorgan.
I call on those people interested in the future of our high streets in the Vale to go to http://bit.ly/1fDomvo read more about the plans. Adding additional cost without considering the knock on implications for other parking areas, and local people living nearby in residential streets having to contend with displacement is a major concern. Are proposals due to come forward for other towns in the Vale – like Llantwit Major or Penarth? This is all yet to be determined.
Feedback from traders and residents should be considered and acted upon. A short innovative parking trial could be devised that, with the will of communities, could determine the best way of managing parking demand whilst encouraging visitors.
Should the first two or three hours be free? Should charges be introduced at all? I would like to start a debate in this newspaper as to what best works for our high streets and the surrounding communities.
The challenge of trading successfully day after day, as opposed to a guaranteed income, should be recognised and considered before significant changes to our high streets are implemented. The local authority should consider it a responsibility to provide a thriving trading environment first and foremost – before any cash generating schemes for the council are considered.