On-street parking fees planned for town centre

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.
On-street parking is 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 council believes the move will not only generate revenue but encourage quicker turn-over of the available parking spaces.
Jason Teal from West Berkshire Council’s strategic support unit, said: “As well as these benefits, charging to park on-street helps us to achieve our overall savings proposals and raises much needed revenue that will help the council to maintain important front line services.
“We would effectively be raising income by making best use of available road space.”
Council spokesman, Keith Ulyatt, said: “Charging and imposing a time limit on parking would mean spaces were less likely to be taken up all day by commuters.
“This in turn would encourage a turn-over of the available parking spaces, which could assist local traders and give visitors more choice.”
Parking for more than four hours in the proposed out of town centre roads could cost up to £3.80, however, charges in the council’s existing multi-storey and surface car parks can cost from £4.50 with charges rising to up to £14 from eight hours.
Shadow member for highways and transport, Keith Woodhams (Lib Dem, Thatcham West), said that although he realised that the Conservative administration wanted to raise extra money because funding was tight, he had concerns.
He said: “I’m a bit concerned initially about the impact this will have on people coming into the town centre; it may put people off coming into Newbury and they may go elsewhere.
“I also have concerns that this may displace vehicles to park in residential areas causing all sorts of potential annoyance to residents in the residential areas.”
Lib Dem Northcroft ward member and town centre resident, Tony Vickers, said: “My initial thought is that it could benefit the residents because most of the people using the bays are commuters – they are not people who live in Newbury.”
He added that there was always spare capacity in the multi-storey car parks and these were the spaces that commuters should be using.
In total there could be 24 pay machines and approximately 239 new parking bays (plus 60 already existing in Station Road).
Newtown Road (South of St John’s Road), Old Bath Road (South side) and the Faraday Road area (including Ampere Road, Fleming Road, Marconi Road and Kelvin Road as well as Faraday Road itself) will have pay by phone facilities.
Comments should be sent to traffic services manager at West Berkshire Council, Mark Cole, by Friday, March 1.