Westbury could see the return of free parking in the town centre after councillors voted overwhelming to fund two free hours parking.
Westbury Town councillors agreed that an allowance in its 2017/18 budget should be made to fund two hours free parking as it would hugely benefit the vitality of the town centre and give local businesses a boost.
Wiltshire Council has offered Westbury Town Council two options; one hour would cost £21,582 and two hours £35,727. The town council felt one free hour was not sufficient and two hours would be more benefical for those coming into the town centre.
The town benefitted from one hour free parking in 2015 but the initiative was scrapped five months after being introduced and lower charges were brought in.
Councillor Ian Cunningham said, “I think that it is quite a good offer and whilst I appreciate that not everybody wants to park in the town centre or has a car, I think that most people would say that they would like to see the town centre continue with local shops and services and this might be the best that we can do to help.”
Although councillors voted in support of the allowance in the town’s budget, the deal is not yet agreed with Wiltshire Council.
Westbury Town Council has asked Wiltshire Council to confirm the figures and advise of the next steps of the process. Once various committees have approved the recommendation, Town Council will vote in March.
If all goes ahead, two hours free parking could be implemented in April.
