On the agenda at this Wednesdays WTC meeting will be ‘Parking Charges’, irrespective of our Whittlesey Town Councils decision (which I hope will be to reject any charges), ultimately it will be Fenland District Councillors who will make the final decision, as with Planning applications!.
The Cambs Times© has reported that their maybe 17 FDC councillors who maybe in favour of bringing in charges (No names). Nothing yet picked up by the StreetLifers who are normally quicker off mark.
Reading some of the arguments, mainly about raising revue to cover the sort fall in central governments cutbacks to local authorities, police and fire services.
I won’t provoke the argument that it has been a Conservative administration hammering the Conservative ‘Shires’ disproportionally in all these cutbacks – No conservative councillor complained when the Labour government threw money at all and sundry.
It has been quoted that it is going to cost around £1 million to set up parking charges, then it has to be ‘policed/monitored’ at another cost.
The advocates say there is a profit to be made! – how long it would take they did not say.
My argument is like many, bringing in parking charges will surely be the death of our businesses within Whittlesey.
Free parking at Hampton, Cardea and Brotherhood retail parks will benefit further than they do already.
There is of course some ‘middle’ ground – that being ‘Free Parking for say 3 hours, allowing the vast amount of people to carry out their business/shopping etc, then make charges…..but then we go back to the ‘issue’ of monitoring/policing and cost.
I say ‘Keep Free Parking’ in Whittlesey, 7 days a week 24 hours a day.
If you want to keep Free Parking – lobby your councillor, sooner the better, otherwise they may ‘think’ the public are not bothered.
Do it Now before you start to see this….
