TRADERS in Thornbury are calling on South Gloucestershire Council to triple the length of time motorists are allowed to park for free parking in the town’s car parks.
The council is making parking free for the first half hour in all spaces in its car parks at Rock Street, St Mary Street and Castle Court from the middle of this month.
Charges were introduced there a year ago and until now, only a small number of spaces were free for 30 minutes.
Thornbury Chamber of Commerce has welcomed the expansion of the concession – but says it is not enough to help the town compete with other shopping centres where parking is still free.
They are calling on the authority to expand the period of free parking to 90 minutes.
Traders have reported a loss of footfall since the charges were introduced, and between May and December last year, four businesses closed in the town.
Thornbury Chamber of Commerce discussed the expansion of free parking spaces at its annual meeting in May.
Secretary Ian Morris said: “Thornbury Chamber of Commerce welcomed the announcement from South Gloucestershire Council about improvements to the car parking scheme in the town.
“TCC, along with St Mary’s Centre and the Thornbury Town and District Residents Association, have campaigned in a structured way against the imposition of the car parking charges since the original announcement.
“We continue to maintain that all spaces should be free for up to 90 minutes to ensure that the town centre retail sector is on an equal footing with the ‘edge of town’ shopping centres, and will continue to maintain dialogue with SGC in pressing for this further change and to monitor the continuing impact of the charges.
“However, the announcement is a positive step forward in supporting and preserving the town’s unique retail and historical heritage.”
The council is also changing time limits on most car parks, including Rock Street and Castle Court, so all spaces can be used by for long and short stays.
St Mary Street will remain short-stay only, as short stay spaces there are in “high demand”.
Short stay charges going up
The cost of parking is going up for stays of between 30 minutes and three hours is going up at all car parks.
At Castle Court and Rock Street, an hour’s stay will rise from 70p to 80p, two hours will rise from £1.30 to £1.40, and three hours will go up from £3 to £3.20 – although the £3.20 rate will now apply to stays of up to four hours, and parking for more than four hours will cost £4.20.
Weekly, monthly and annual season ticket prices are being reduced, and blue badge holders will continue to be able to park free for up to four hours, in any space.
At St Mary Street, prices for parking up to three hours will be the same as at Rock Street and Castle Court, but it will cost £5.30 to park for up to four hours, the maximum time allowed.
After the shake-up all drivers, including those parking for a 30-minute free stay, will have to register their vehicle at a ticket machine or via the council’s parking app, and will be able to extend stays.
The council brought in charges in 22 car parks last May, aiming to raise £800,000 in the first year.
It says it actually collected around £750,000 – more than £300,000 of which is understood to have been in Thornbury.
A council spokesperson said the changes follow a series of face-to-face meetings with traders groups, residents and town councils, adding: “Expanding the number of free spaces and giving drivers the chance to easily extend their stay is a change that local traders and businesses were particularly keen to see.”
Council cabinet member for communities Sean Rhodes said: “We have also been listening to our local traders and high streets and know that they are facing many challenges, common across the country, as people’s shopping habits continue to change.
“We have to balance measures we can take to help keep our high streets thriving with the steps we need to take to maintain all council services in very difficult times financially.”