WESTBURY traders and businesses have nothing to worry about from the impending hike in car parking charges – that’s according to Dick Tonge, the car parking spokesperson for Wiltshire Council.
“In the past when car parking charges have increased there has been little effect (on town trade), says councillor Tonge in an exclusive question and answer session with White Horse News.
Car parking charges will be introduced in Wiltshire Council’s car parks in Westbury in April as free parking is scrapped. Local shoppers, traders and councillors have all criticised the plans, saying they will be the death knell for town centre shops, already hard hit by the recession, the internet and the 20% VAT rate.
Angry Westbury town councillors, who complained that their concerns over car parking charges had been ignored by Wiltshire Council, have also been told by cllr Tonge that, “Westbury Town Council has been consulted in the same way as other Wiltshire towns.”
Cllr Tonge says a rise in fuel prices, rather than an increase in car parking charges would have more impact on town centre trade, saying, “The evidence is that the price of fuel has a far greater effect than car parking charges.”
Cllr Tonge, Wiltshire Council Cabinet member for Highways and Transport, agreed to answer a series of questions from White Horse News after criticism of the Wiltshire Council’s new parking strategy.
Here are our questions and his answers in full.
What is the aim of car parking charges? Is it simply to raise revenue?
Car parking charges cover the costs of running the car parks and provide monies for subsidised buses. Over 4 million bus journeys in Wiltshire are subsided each year. Without this cross subsidy from car parking, bus services will be decimated and those people who can’t drive and the 17% of families without cars would suffer as a result. Many town buses are subsidised, if they were cut, shoppers would have difficulty in getting into towns.
How have you estimated the revenue which will come from car parking charges?
The Council has a model that enables different options to be evaluated.
A lot of traders are saying that scrapping free parking will have a serious and detrimental impact on their trade. Do you think this is the case or are they exaggerating?
The evidence is that the price of fuel has a far greater effect than car parking charges. Fuel prices have been rocketing. The cost of fuel is 10p a mile for the average car, the cost of motoring when all costs are taken into account is 30p a mile.
Do you accept that a lot of shops in the market towns of Wiltshire are struggling, faced with competition from the internet, out of town superstores, the recession and the 20% VAT rate?
Towns with a good retail offering do well. The council has offered help to towns that would like assistance. In the past when car parking charges have increased, there has been little effect.
What do you say to people who argue that the scrapping of free parking and higher charges will be the ‘death knell’ to town centres?
See answer above.
Why would someone pay for parking if they just wanted a pound of potatoes or a bunch of flowers? Do you not accept that they will simply go to an out-of-town supermarket or garage forecourt?
Generally people will go to the closest shop to buy a bunch of flowers or a bag of potatoes. They travel into the towns for a general shop. Fuel price increases are likely to result in a fewer visits, but with more spend on each visit.
If the scrapping of free parking and the higher charges are seen to have a detrimental affect on town centres, will the council review its car parking strategy?
Charges will be revised annually.
Westbury Town Council say their concerns about the car parking had ‘neither been acknowledged or regarded’. What do you say to that?
Westbury Town Council has been consulted in the same way as other Wiltshire Towns
Why did the whole council not get a chance to vote? Surely it’s an important issue that every councillor should be able to vote on, not just the cabinet members?
The whole council did vote on car parking charges. Cabinet agreed the new charges on December 14th and full council endorsed them on February 22nd.
How can you justify that just ten councillors, non of whom are from Melksham / Westbury, can vote through a policy which most people accept will have such a big impact on the towns?
See answer above.
A lot of people have suggested that car parks should be run locally, by the towns themselves. What do you say to that?
There are strategic reasons for having Wiltshire wide car parking pricing based on bands. If towns wish to set up their own car parks there is no reason why they can’t.
How can you justify over £5.60 for a day’s parking which represents nearly an hour’s salary for a person on minimum wage?
After consultation with the Chambers of Commerce more flexible standard season tickets will be introduced in some car parks. For Melksham, Westbury and Warminster the annual cost of a season ticket in 2011/12 will be £491, which is £1.88 for each working day. The tickets will have the following flexibility;
A virtual system which allows two registration numbers to be used. Customers can change these registration numbers at any time through the virtual system at no cost. In case of businesses they can be used by any staff member provided the registration number is changed in good time.
A permit that does not use the virtual system that allows two registration numbers but each time one of these registration numbers is changed there will be a charge of £25.
A paper permit that is in the name of a company and can be used by any employee. This has to be displayed in the vehicle.
The objective of these season tickets is to assist people working in the town centres.
Will you be introducing car parking charges at the temporary ‘County Hall’ on the former George Ward School site?
No. The terms and conditions of all council employees are under review due to the merger of five councils into one. Some pay for parking some do not. This situation will be rationalised after discussion with the Unions.
