Wiltshire Council’s plans to introduce a cash back scheme for shoppers who use Westbury car parks has been branded as “too little too late” as the council cabinet member responsible has suggested that shoppers would have to spend £30 in a shop to be eligible for a parking refund.
Last week, Wiltshire Council announced they are looking into a county-wide cash back redemption scheme, which a spokesperson admitted was in response to “sustained” opposition to car parking charges across the county.
However, Dick Tonge, Wiltshire Council’s cabinet member for highways, told the BBC, “We are going to convert all the machines in Wiltshire to enable retailers to do cash back, if they wish, if people spend, say, £30 in a shop.”
David Jenkins, president of the Westbury Chamber of Commerce and a Westbury and Wiltshire Liberal Democrat councillor, responded, “It isn’t really going to help. For people to come along and spend £30 to get the refund is crazy – it’s too little too late.”
No help
Wiltshire Lib Dem group leader, cllr Jon Hubbard commented, “Dick Tonge suggests that if people spend £30 or more in a town centre shop, they could get a refund on their parking charges. What world does he live in? This suggestion shows again how out of touch the Conservatives are; £30 is a lot of money to most people. This won’t help in our market towns where people pop in for a few bits and pieces.”
Wiltshire Council ann-ounced the plans for a county-wide scheme which would refund part of the car parking fee, saying it was in response to “the current economic climate and the negative impact that this is having on our high streets and retailers.” However, a spokesperson for Wiltshire Council admitted that it was also in response to “sustained” opposition to car parking charges across the county.
Wiltshire Council says, “Working with local independent businesses and retailers, and town and parish councils, we are currently looking at modifying our car parking ticket machines to enable this scheme to be implemented across Wiltshire.”
Anger
Traders and local shoppers have expressed anger at the loss of free car parking spaces, which came into force in April this year. Westbury’s town council, local businesses, the Chamber of Commerce, and the White Horse News have all repeatedly highlighted the negative effects of removing free parking from the town centre.
Westbury Town Council voiced their concerns last year in their response to the car parking consultation – and then wrote in February asking why their concerns and comments “had neither been acknowledged or regarded”.
There has also been increasing anger expressed across market towns in Wiltshire, blaming loss of trade on the new car parking charges. Traders from three local towns have introduced their own ‘cash back for the first hour’ scheme.
Dick Tonge told the BBC, “Retailers across the county are in difficulty. Car parking prices are only a part of it.”
He said the scheme would be brought in within the next couple of months and that the move was in response to a petition launched in Chippenham, against the car parking charges, which have been signed by 3,000 people.
Dick Tonge said, “We are doing this as quickly as we can in response to this petition. We don’t want the viability of towns jeopardised.”
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