Cheshire East Council’s Labour/Independent Coalition have launched a survey, asking for residents’ views on car parking charges across the borough. Your answers will inform what we will be charged to use the Council’s 74 car parks later this year.
Since the council was created in 2009, car parking policies across the borough have differed from town to town reflecting the historic charges of the old Borough Councils. For example car parking in some towns is free to use, and in towns where charges do apply, the charges vary significantly.
The survey is officially about various issues around car parks, including “the level of parking charges in Cheshire East and scope for harmonisation”. Furthermore, there is talk of solving the uncertainty about what the council's future car parking policy should look like, for example:
- How much should car parking cost in Cheshire East?
- Should the council promote alternative methods of transport to the car?
- What improvements to car parking services are required?
However what is noticeable are the questions that are NOT asked or NOT answered. Here are some concerns that have already been raised by residents with Conservative Members across the Borough:
- Questions seem to support ‘contactless’ mobile phone app charging - but don’t mention the additional service charges that these apps charge or how people without access to a suitable mobile phone will manage.
- Options for fees to be charged for the first hour or for a full day are explored - but nothing on the more common and useful 1-2 hour stays - at what rate will these periods be charged?
- There is talk of introducing equal charging across all car parks but not at what rate. Charges equalised at the higher rate would create additional income for CEC but feels like secondary taxation for council tax payers.
- There are still suggestions to charge (“Pay to Pray’) on Sundays and also in the evenings to capture the night-time economy. Aren’t these more opportunities to get more revenue from the car-driving public?
- There is no consideration for rural residents who live in areas with no public transport and too far away to walk or cycle. Using a car is the only option and any rise in parking charges feels like an unfair penalty.
So what do you think? Do you agree?
You can submit your feedback by completing the survey online at: https://surveys.cheshireeast.gov.uk/s/VZTQ7T/
Writing to Research and Consultation, Cheshire East Council, Westfields, Middlewich Road, Sandbach, CW11 1HZ.
Emailing [email protected]
The deadline for completion is midnight on Sunday 31st January 2021.
Don’t leave it to other people to complete the survey – they may be leaving it to you!
