Council to consult over parking charges but not in Wilmslow (yet)

carpark

Cheshire East Council has announced it is to review its parking charges to see how it can better support local towns and businesses.

The Council will consult with local businesses, partnerships and people with disabilities on an off-street parking pricing policy that will reflect the needs of different areas.

However, the Council has decided to focus the review on the "Borough's key towns" of Crewe, Nantwich, Macclesfield, Knutsford and Congleton - so Wilmslow will not be included at this stage.

Electric vehicle charging bays also look to be introduced in some of the car parks.

Councillor Michael Jones, Leader of Cheshire East Council, said: "We are a listening Council that puts residents first and is committed to supporting our local businesses to help them thrive and prosper.

"Parking policy needs to reflect the needs of different areas and help bring more people into Cheshire East to spend money and boost the local economy.

"However, we recognise that each of our towns is unique and so we are not advocating harmonisation of charges across Cheshire East.

"We will focus on our key towns of Crewe, Nantwich, Macclesfield, Knutsford and Congleton as a starting point for consultation. We know that car parks aren't free as we have to maintain them and we need to operate on a full-cost-recovery basis.

"What we can do and will do is listen and act wherever we can to develop and implement a more attractive car parking policy to boost economic vitality and job creation across the Borough."

Cheshire East will consult with key stakeholders over proposals for an affordable and attractive parking policy with a particular emphasis on Crewe, Nantwich, Macclesfield, Knutsford and Congleton.

A report setting out the outcome of the conversations with local businesses and a set of key recommendations will be put before the Council's Cabinet for consideration on November 11th 2014.

Councillor Jones added: "We wish to set charges for parking which reflect local pressures and needs. The Council should also look to make car parking charges cost neutral and no longer fund our services.

"Conversations with businesses and local people since that date as well as research have shown that accessible, affordable and attractive parking places encourage people to shop in towns. Therefore, we want to continue those conversations and listen even more to local stakeholders on the way forward to nurturing strong communities and further boosting local economies and job creation.

"Cheshire East is about listening, putting residents first and being open for business. It is a strategy which has seen Cheshire East being recognised as the Best in the North West – and a place that is truly open for business."

Responding to why Wilmslow was not included in the consultation, a spokesperson from Cheshire East Council said "Due to the extensive nature of the consultation, it was felt that a staged approach would be taken to ensure that we used limited resources in the best way. There is no suggestion that Wilmslow will not be consulted with in the future."

Tags:
Cheshire East Council, Parking, Parking
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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

DELETED ACCOUNT
Wednesday 10th September 2014 at 6:34 pm
"We wish to set charges for parking which reflect local pressures and needs".
Translation - Wilmslow is a cash - cow which keeps on giving.
"However, we recognise that each of our towns is unique and so we are not advocating harmonisation of charges across Cheshire East.
Translation - Wilmslow is a cash- cow which keeps on giving.
Kathryn Blackburn
Thursday 11th September 2014 at 8:56 am
So Wilmslow is included as one of the "nine key service centres' when it comes to growth and housing numbers but not included when it comes to considering the review of parking charges. How right you are Jackie.
Mark Goldsmith
Thursday 11th September 2014 at 11:37 am
"Electric vehicle charging bays also look to be introduced in some of the car parks."

"We know that car parks aren't free as we have to maintain them and we need to operate on a full-cost-recovery basis."

So how long will it take to recover the full costs of vehicle charging bays then? Both the cost of the meters and the lost revenue from the decommissioned parking bay?

Why are the council even considering wasting money on this when they can't afford to open a toilet in a Wilmslow car park? The UK only has 10,000 electric cars (statistically only 4 of which will be in Wilmslow), so why bother. What other 4 residents in Wilmslow would get this sort of lavish treatment?

Well, okay if 4 travellers in an electric car and a caravan turn up on Earl Road, then who knows what the council might do for them, but that's another story.