Westbury Town Council has discussed how best to proceed with the town’s one-hour free parking arrangement.
Currently, people can leave their car for up to an hour without paying at the High Street, Warminster Road and Westfield House car parks.
The public car parks in Westbury are owned by Wiltshire Council, which is responsible for levying and collecting parking fees. Westbury Town Council currently pays an annual subsidy to Wiltshire Council, allowing both residents and visitors to park for free for one hour. If continued into the 2025/26 period, this free parking set-up would cost the town council £31,330.
During the most recent meeting of Westbury Town Council’s Highways and Planning Committee, councillors discussed how best to proceed.
Councillor Mike Sutton said he agreed with the free parking arrangement when it came to supporting shops and services in Westbury. However, he did stress the unfairness for tax-paying residents without cars. He said, “It’s getting close to a quarter of a million we’ve spent on free parking. We’re told it’s because we don’t want to upset the businesses but I’ve never seen any evidence it produces more trade for the town.
“I feel a little bit of sympathy for the poor pedestrians and cyclists [in Westbury] who have to subsidise car-owners.
“So while I won’t vote against extending the free parking, I ought to think we should do a little more detailed investigations. We are asking the poorer people in society to subsidise the richer.”
As the debate continued, Councillor Mark Harper suggested keeping the one-hour free parking at the High Street car park, which is closest to town centre shops, while ending the arrangement at Warminster Road and Westfield House in a bid to cut costs. His idea gained support from fellow councillors.
The Highways and Planning Committee decided to ask Wiltshire Council if such an arrangement is possible and will meet again to discuss a final plan for the car parks.
