Lib Dems call for clarity on parking plans
York’s Liberal Democrat councillors are calling for the council’s Labour administration to clarify what plans they have to introduce parking charges in locations that are currently free, including shoppers car parks in places such as Acomb, where charges could drive business to out of town shopping centres and undermine neighbourhood high streets.
At the Executive meeting held on 3rd June at which changes to hugely controversial parking charges were agreed, the Transport Executive Member Cllr Kate Ravilious said “we will continue to develop a wider city parking strategy and address some of those anomalies such as the random spots of free parking that are within 2km of the city centre where we need to do things like raise a Traffic Regulation Order to change them.”
Cllr Ravilious has also said previously that the price hikes “aim to give greater equity around travel within our city, recognising that one in four households in the city don’t have access to a car and often depend on the bus.” This has led to questions being asked about whether the shoppers car park at Morrisons in Acomb will in future see a charge introduced, similar to those at the East Parade and Bishopthorpe Road shoppers car parks.
Speaking at the 3rd June meeting, Lib Dem Transport spokesperson Cllr Stephen Fenton called on the Labour Executive to consult with businesses and residents on a parking strategy for the city that was promised in the implementation plan for the Local Transport Strategy agreed last year.
Cllr Fenton is now asking for clarification on which areas of free parking may be lost.
“I’m pleased to hear that work on a parking strategy is finally getting underway, it’s just a pity that this wasn’t done before the changes to parking charges were agreed.
“There are questions about what ‘random spots of free parking’ the council plans to start charging for. These include where this 2km zone starts from and what areas it will cover? Is this about introducing charges for parking bays outside shops which are currently free? Or is there a broader plan to impose Residents Parking schemes on any streets within the 2km zone that are not currently covered by Res Park?
“Clarity is also needed on what ‘equity around travel within our city’ will mean in practice for shopping centres such as Acomb which people access by car as well as by bus. If it means that it will cost the same to park your car in Acomb as it does to get the bus into Acomb, then that should be made clear.
“Residents and businesses understandably would like answers to these questions so that they understand what is being proposed and can have their say. Lessons must be learned from the shambolic handling of the parking charges increase, and one key lesson is to properly consult before deciding to make potentially significant changes.”