Kington traders slam council's 'short-sighted' charges (From Hereford Times)
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Kington traders slam council's 'short-sighted' charges
7:00am Saturday 3rd September 2011 in Kington By Lauren Rogers
Mike Ashby holds his petition against car parking charges with supporters (l-r) Kylie Bowman, Tom Bounds, Philip Williams, Kington Mayor Bob Widdowson, Bernard Ray and Joe Wood. Buy this photo »
TRADERS in Kington say increasing car parking charges will destroy the town’s fragile economy.
A campaign to stop Herefordshire Council introducing fees at the High Street car park launched last week, just four days after the authority announced it was upping charges across the county.
So far, more than 1,000 people have signed a petition against the controversial move.
The council is changing the 48- space High Street car park, currently free, from long to medium stay.
This means that from November 1 it will charge drivers 40p for up to an hour’s stay, 60p for up to two hours and £1 for more than two hours.
Charges are also going up at Mill Street, from 30p an hour and £1.20 for more than four hours to 40p an hour and £1.50 for more than four hours.
The car parks at Love Lane and Market Hall Street will remain free.
Together with revised charges in Hereford city, Bromyard, Ledbury, Leominster and Rosson- Wye, the council’s annual car parking income is set to increase by £208,000 a year to £2.4 million.
Campaign leader and Kington resident Mike Ashby said this “short-sighted” and “quick fix approach” to bring in short term revenue will lead to further decline of an already struggling local economy.
He said: “There is absolutely no doubt that if you study the effects the introduction of car parking charges have had on town centres these charges will adversely affect the viability and vitality of the Kington local economy and local shops.”
In Leominster, where charges are being introduced at the Broad Street car park, manager of the newly opened Cartridge World in West Street said customers who formerly shopped at the Hereford and Ross branches now prefer the Leominster store in part because of the free parking.
At the same time, Councillor Mark Hubbard, leader of It’s Our County, slammed the increase of car parking charges as “a kneejerk reaction to a budget shortfall”.
