1,800 peoples views are being ignored, say Lib Dems
At the end of the recent informal consultation period there had been 171 responses, the majority of which were against the scheme, a petition containing 1,719 signatures, and a petition from 68 Royal Mail workers.
A joint letter signed by 16 residents of the Goldwell Drive area called for restrictions planned for Old Bath Road to be scrapped, as they feared people would use their road for free parking instead.
Comments from the Federation of Small Businesses and Newbury BID were also negative.
The district council said that the ammended proposals going forward for statutory consultation have taken into account people’s concerns. The changes cover seven out of the 12 roads included in the parking scheme, and include increasing the number of free limited-waiting spaces in Carnegie Road and King’s Road West to help local workers, and a decrease in the original restrictions in Link Road and Catherine Road.
However, the numbers of pay bays in some roads have been increased, including Faraday Road and Newtown Road.
The Liberal Democrats have now accused the district council of pushing to introduce the charges despite negative responses from more than 1,800 people.
Victoria ward member Roger Hunneman (Lib Dem) said: “I am appalled that the Conservatives running West Berkshire Council have ignored the wishes of so many residents and users of Newbury town centre, as evidenced by the responses published in the informal consultation.
“They are ignoring 1,719 people’s signatures on a petition and then they wonder why people have no faith that politicians will listen to them.”
Talking about the increase of pay bays within the scheme, he added: “[It] is clearly being done to maximise revenue by a council [which has] just announced that it under-spent by £638,000 last year.”
The executive member for highways and transport, Pamela Bale (Con), said that every response to the informal consultation had been considered and that a number of suggestions had been used to update the proposal.
She said: “Charging for on-street parking and limiting the periods of parking in the central area of Newbury would encourage a turn-over of the available parking spaces, which will make best use of the available road space, provide road safety and traffic management benefits, and enable the council to offer some support for specific promotions to support business in the town.”
However, the parking restrictions for Old Bath Road that Goldwell Drive residents wanted removed from the plan – to introduce about 53 pay bays – have gone through to the formal consultation stage.
To view and comment on the latest plan, visit
