WESTBURY has once again got its hour’s free parking in the town centre, as part of a trial while Wiltshire Council review charges across the county.
All Wiltshire Council managed car parks in the town will offer the first hour free until Wednesday 31st December. The changes will apply at any time of day to three off-street car parks in the town; the High Street, Warminster Road, and Westfield House. The Westbury Leigh car park is also owned by the council and will remain free of charge.
In 2012/13 the four council-owned car parks in Westbury collected more than £51,000; just over 1% of the entire county’s £5.3million revenue from parking.
The first hour’s charge will now be waived, benefitting those who make shorter trips.
There was outrage in the town when the free hour was removed in 2011, and a petition to reinstate it was signed by 3,500 people and presented to Wiltshire Council.
Cllr David Jenkins presented the petition in 2012. He said of the recent change, “I’m very pleased that Westbury’s one hour free parking has returned on trial. We saw from the support of the petition that local people and retailers were very concerned about the effects the parking changes would have on the town’s fragile economy. Double parking also became an issue and congestion was increased as people were leaving their cars on the roads because they didn’t want to pay.
“Whether the scheme will continue in the new year or not, we can’t know, but I hope the town’s trial period will encourage more people to visit the town centre and boost local trade for a couple of months at least.”
Local resident Peter Watkins said, “Parking should be free for one hour and should not have been taken away. Shops in Westbury have suffered losses due to parking charges as people now go out of town. It is time to show support for our town before it disappears completely.”
The return of the hour’s free parking is a hugely welcome change, but there is disappointment over its timing. Claire Rumary of Cards Plus said, “I think it’s great we’ve temporarily got the free hour back; it should never have been taken away from us.
“It’s a shame they haven’t made bigger signs making it clear as a lot of the people we’ve spoken to didn’t know. If we are blocked off by the road closures and no-one can get into town then the free parking is pointless, but at the moment customers love it. I noticed how much fuller the car park was before it had even been advertised!
“The free hour can only have a positive affect on the town, especially during the lead up to Christmas.”
Wiltshire Council is committed to reviewing parking policies every four years, and will be considering a number of charging options. John Thomson, Wiltshire’s deputy leader and cabinet member responsible for sustainable transport said, “This is a wide-ranging review of an issue which is key to the development of our towns and villages.
“We are looking at ways to make it easier for the public to pay for their parking through the use of new technology, such as paying by mobile phone instead of using cash, using websites to pay for parking and automatic number plate recognition.
“Our car parking review is about much more than just cars, it is about enhancing the local economy, environment and providing value for money in our car parking services. We are keen to engage and work with local communities in order to provide them with the most appropriate facilities.
“I hope as many people as possible will get involved and tell us what they think.”
Westbury councillors are encouraging people to use the car parks’ free hour as much as possible, and to offer their comments to Wiltshire Council, saying that public response could have an effect on the future of parking in the town.
You can get involved with the review online at http://consult.wiltshire.gov.uk/portal, by emailing transportplanning@wiltshire.gov.uk, or by calling 01225 713458.
