BOROUGH Council proposals to extend pay-and-display parking in Lymm have been met by dismay – and anger.
Traders, councillors and shoppers are opposed to crucial parts of the strategy – particularly extending charging to the Davies Way car park and cutting the free period at Pepper Street from two hours to one.
Transportation chiefs at the borough council say the changes are to improve the operation of the Lymm car parks. But they also admit they are to save money at a time of “severe budgetary constraints.”
Cllr Sheila Woodyatt said: “The proposals have the potential to kill the village.”
Cllr Ian Marks added: “I am disappointed with the proposals for Pepper Street – particularly charging for the second hour.
“I am very much opposed to charging on the Davies Way car park.”
The borough’s proposals, which would be implemented in the autumn, are:
Davies Way and Henry Street car parks: 0-1 hour: free; 1-2 hour: 50p; 2-3 hours: £1; 3 hours: £2.
Pepper Street car park: 0-1 hour: free; 1-2 hours: 50p; 2-4 hours: £2; 4 hours: £10.
Cllrs Woodyatt and Marks both oppose charging at Davies Way because of the likely increase in parking problems in Brookfield Road and elsewhere in the village.
Cllr Woodyatt is also concerned at the impact on volunteers at the Citizen’s Advice Bureau and in charity shops in the village, and also on low-paid shop workers.
She said: “Asking a low-paid worker to pay £10-a-week to park is a bit much – and asking a volunteer to pay anything at all is unreasonable.”
Cllr Marks said increased parking in Brookfield Road would create a dangerous situation as cars sometimes park on pavements, forcing prams and wheelchairs into the road.
He assumed the borough had done some modelling to show there would be a financial benefit to the council and would like to see the calculations.
However, he supported pay-and-display on the Henry Street car park.
Cllr Marks said the borough had promised a traffic/parking study in Lymm and no changes should be made until the outcome of this was known.
Pictured: Councillors Woodyatt and Marks.
Anger over village parking plan
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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.
3 Comments
So what’s new! WBC (of all political persuasion) don’t like cars and they do all they can to make it difficult for shopers to use them. Thus, our shopping centres are dying. Councillors should take a trip to Widnes, which is on the up, and see how they deal with parking issues making it free to shop their Town.
Why would it not be possible to exempt volunteers at the CAB or in charity shops, and workers by giving them a parking pass?
If shoppers are avoiding the village centre because they have to pay 50p to park their car, perhaps they should have a hard look at their priorities.
Given that we spend a lot of money on shopping or in restaurants, why should we also have to foot the bill on parking? Surely the rent of the premises should cover this?
I’m on about in town centre as well as Lymm.
Trafford Centre parking is free, which I think attracts the shopper. No wonder Warrington is a ghost town.
WBC stop being greedy or Lymm will become just as ghostly as town centre!