New petition opposes on-street parking fees

Shadow member for highways and transport, Keith Woodhams (Lib Dem, Thatcham West), said that he had been petitioning businesses on Faraday Road - one of the areas where the parking charges are set to be introduced - and that his colleagues had been talking to people elsewhere in the town.
With the deadline for public consultation ending on Friday (1), Mr Woodhams said that he hoped that enough signatures could be collected to show the Conservative administration that many people opposed the charges.
He said: “People are worried that their profit margins are very small and very concerned it (the scheme) could put people off.
“There was absolutely no support.
“For the amount of income that would be generated from this – the impact would be greater on businesses and the local economy."
Council chiefs are proposing to enforce new parking charges on a host of town centre roads to raise much-needed cash.
Residential and business routes are in the firing line and charges would be levied seven days a week, including bank holidays, between 8am and 6pm.
New charges are proposed for parts of Ampere Road, Bartholomew Street, the Broadway, Catherine Road, Cheap Street, Faraday Road, Fleming Road, Kelvin Road, Kings Road West, Link Road, Marconi Road, Newtown Road, Northbrook Street (outside the Pedestrian Zone), Old Bath Road, Pelican Lane and West Mills.
One or two-hour time restrictions will be placed on the central town centre roads, although out of town roads would be available for long-term parking for more than four hours.
Before 8am and after 6pm parking would be free and on Sundays there would be a single daily charge.
There will also be 30 minutes of initial free parking for some of the roads.
The petition is due to be presented to West Berkshire’s full council meeting on March 5.
For more, see Thursday’s Newbury Weekly News.