Calls to scrap town centre parking fees across Swale
A trial period of free parking in town centres across the
borough is being called for.
The Labour group on Swale council will make the request for
motorists not to have to pay for parking on Saturdays in
Sittingbourne, Sheerness and Faversham when the full council meets
on Wednesday night.
If approved it’s hoped the move will help stimulate the local
economies in each of the three areas.
Cllr Ghlin Whelan, the group’s spokesman on highways and
transport issues, said: “The council is expecting a surplus on
parking in the next financial year of over £850,000.
“This is effectively a parking tax and instead of putting it all
away in reserves, the council should be using some of this income
to help local residents and also local businesses.
"What we are proposing is to use some of this surplus to create
an amnesty on parking fees, in the first place for Saturday
shoppers.
“In this financial year, we are proposing a three-month
trial.
“Were it to help our local town centre businesses, we would then
bring it forward as a permanent part of the budget process.
“The council has reserves of more than £11 million and we
believe it should start using this for the benefit of the
community.”
Council leader Cllr Andrew Bowles (Con) said: “Most of those
reserves are allocated. We will look at it, of course we will, but
if they were serious about it they would have brought it forward
before now.”
18/02/13
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