Post by admin on Nov 8, 2006 0:29:53 GMT 1
Pay parking looms for motorists
EXCLUSIVE to rosendale freepress
MOTORISTS could soon have to pay to park in the Valley after a council review team recommended the introduction of charges.
A report to Rossendale Council’s Overview and Scrutiny committee, due to meet next Thursday, recommends the introduction of pay and display parking in short-stay car parks across the borough.
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The proposal – a unanimous decision by the all-party car parking review team – is for drivers to get the first hour free, with a charge of 40p for up to two hours, £1 for up to three hours and £2 for up to four hours.
A maximum stay of five hours would be priced at £3.
All long-stay car parks would remain free.
The recommendation follows a detailed review of how the council manages its car parks, which was launched at the start of the year and included public meetings across the Valley.
It is set to be fiercely opposed by traders and shoppers.
Hundreds of you backed our Keep Parking Free campaign by signing letters opposing charges, which we handed over to the review team in February.
And a massive 85 per cent of you said ‘no’ to charges in a poll on our website .
A 500-signature petition on parking in Bacup was also handed over to the review team by Jane Bowler, who runs JD Discounts on St James Street in the town.
She is one of many shopkeepers who fear that pay parking would have a shattering effect on Valley business.
Responding to the latest proposal, she said: ‘I will be forced to shut my business.
‘My lease is due in January and I will not pay out another penny to stay there if they introduce pay parking.
‘We can’t offer what the bigger towns do and we won’t be able to compete.
‘There’s no way customers will pay for parking in Bacup.’
Paul Mulderrig, president of Rawtenstall Chamber of Commerce, said: ‘The chamber has long been against the principle of pay parking.
‘We feel we should be using every attraction possible to promote Rawtenstall town centre to potential customers.
‘Once the principle of pay parking is established, people know there is only one direction the charges will go.’
The news comes despite the ruling Conservative group stating it had ‘no plans’ to implement a parking tariff in a paid-for advert in the Free Press ahead of this year’s May elections.
Council leader Duncan Rudthingy said: ‘The recommendations are from an all-party group and it was a unanimous decision, but at this stage it is just a proposal.
‘We’ll wait until Overview and Scrutiny makes a recommendation and then the Cabinet will decide on it.’
Deputy leader William Challinor added: ‘The plan that has been brought forward does suggest implementing car parking charges.
‘It’s a way of getting some revenue to improve car parks, but we have not decided yet.
‘The political group has not made any decision.’
The report says pay and display parking at the Valley’s 17 car parks would cost £53,280 to set up. It would then cost around £141,000 to run each year and generate an income of nearly £172,000, netting around £31,000 annual profit.
Car parks in Rawtenstall, Bacup, Haslingden, Crawshawbooth, Waterfoot, Stacksteads and Whitworth all stand to be affected by the proposals. For full details see the report on the council website: www.rossendale.gov.uk
# WHAT'S your view on pay parking in the Valley?
Send your letters to Readers’ Postbag, Rossendale Free Press, 58 Bank Street, Rawtenstall, BB4 8JR.
First published by the Rossendale Free Press
EXCLUSIVE to rosendale freepress
MOTORISTS could soon have to pay to park in the Valley after a council review team recommended the introduction of charges.
A report to Rossendale Council’s Overview and Scrutiny committee, due to meet next Thursday, recommends the introduction of pay and display parking in short-stay car parks across the borough.
Advertisement
The proposal – a unanimous decision by the all-party car parking review team – is for drivers to get the first hour free, with a charge of 40p for up to two hours, £1 for up to three hours and £2 for up to four hours.
A maximum stay of five hours would be priced at £3.
All long-stay car parks would remain free.
The recommendation follows a detailed review of how the council manages its car parks, which was launched at the start of the year and included public meetings across the Valley.
It is set to be fiercely opposed by traders and shoppers.
Hundreds of you backed our Keep Parking Free campaign by signing letters opposing charges, which we handed over to the review team in February.
And a massive 85 per cent of you said ‘no’ to charges in a poll on our website .
A 500-signature petition on parking in Bacup was also handed over to the review team by Jane Bowler, who runs JD Discounts on St James Street in the town.
She is one of many shopkeepers who fear that pay parking would have a shattering effect on Valley business.
Responding to the latest proposal, she said: ‘I will be forced to shut my business.
‘My lease is due in January and I will not pay out another penny to stay there if they introduce pay parking.
‘We can’t offer what the bigger towns do and we won’t be able to compete.
‘There’s no way customers will pay for parking in Bacup.’
Paul Mulderrig, president of Rawtenstall Chamber of Commerce, said: ‘The chamber has long been against the principle of pay parking.
‘We feel we should be using every attraction possible to promote Rawtenstall town centre to potential customers.
‘Once the principle of pay parking is established, people know there is only one direction the charges will go.’
The news comes despite the ruling Conservative group stating it had ‘no plans’ to implement a parking tariff in a paid-for advert in the Free Press ahead of this year’s May elections.
Council leader Duncan Rudthingy said: ‘The recommendations are from an all-party group and it was a unanimous decision, but at this stage it is just a proposal.
‘We’ll wait until Overview and Scrutiny makes a recommendation and then the Cabinet will decide on it.’
Deputy leader William Challinor added: ‘The plan that has been brought forward does suggest implementing car parking charges.
‘It’s a way of getting some revenue to improve car parks, but we have not decided yet.
‘The political group has not made any decision.’
The report says pay and display parking at the Valley’s 17 car parks would cost £53,280 to set up. It would then cost around £141,000 to run each year and generate an income of nearly £172,000, netting around £31,000 annual profit.
Car parks in Rawtenstall, Bacup, Haslingden, Crawshawbooth, Waterfoot, Stacksteads and Whitworth all stand to be affected by the proposals. For full details see the report on the council website: www.rossendale.gov.uk
# WHAT'S your view on pay parking in the Valley?
Send your letters to Readers’ Postbag, Rossendale Free Press, 58 Bank Street, Rawtenstall, BB4 8JR.
First published by the Rossendale Free Press