Calls for two hours free parking in Newbury to 'help businesses survive'
Deputy mayor urges West Berkshire Council to help shopkeepers
THERE have been calls to enable people to park for two hours free of charge in Newbury for the next six months to give businesses a “fighting chance of surviving”.
The proposal was put forward by Billy Drummond (Lib Dem, Newbury Greenham), who warned his town council colleagues that Newbury would become “a ghost town” unless something was done to encourage people back to the high street when shops reopen.
Speaking at a virtual meeting of Newbury Town Council planning and highways committee on Monday, Mr Drummond encouraged members to back his proposal, but some councillors were concerned that free parking went against its aim of banning traffic from the town centre.
Mr Drummond said: “My concern is all the empty windows and shops in the district, especially since Covid-19 where more people are now shopping online.
“I’m asking the CEO to write to West Berkshire Council requesting they review parking charges to help give local shopkeepers a fighting chance of getting Newbury back on its feet again.”
The town council’s chief executive Hugh Peacocke said: “We are all aware of the drastic impact that coronavirus and the lockdown has had on the economy.
“I am concerned some businesses may never reopen again.
“We should do all in our power to support these businesses and retain vitality and employment in out town centre.
“I am happy to write to West Berkshire Council to ask them review parking charges and at least give the first two hours free for the first six months.”
However, councillor David Marsh (Green) said it was “not coherent or consistent” with the council’s message that it wanted to pedestrianise the town.
He said: “What we are doing, through the traffic ban we voted for barely a week ago, was to try and reimagine the way people shop and use the town centre.
“If you go back to saying ‘right, get back in your cars everyone head into town because it is going to be free’ we are exactly back to where we started from.
“I don’t want to discourage people from using the car parks, but if we are going to have a policy it needs to be consistent.”
Mr Drummond replied: “If you want to walk about in a ghost town, feel free.”
Councillor Nigel Foot said he sympathised with Mr Marsh’s point of view, adding: “I think we have got to be a bit brave here and stand by to our principles and look at imaginative ways to reinvent the high street because I think we agree it is never going to go back to the way it was.”
Nine councillors voted in favour of writing to West Berkshire Council requesting two hours free parking for the next six months. Mr Marsh voted against the proposal.
