Broad support for tackling illegal parking in Warwick District
Everyone from residents to businesses to civic societies have been airing their support to the initial plans for Warwickshire County Council to take over responsibility from the police for enforcing on-street parking restrictions in Warwick District next year.
Under the plans the enforcement of parking restrictions both on-street and in car parks will be carried out by Parking Attendants employed by Warwick District Council and there will be charges introduced on-street.
The scheme will help maintain the vitality of Leamington, Warwick and Kenilworth town centres by increasing the turnover and availability of parking spaces and will result in less traffic circulating looking for spaces. It also includes new residents’ parking areas.
Roger Bennett from the county council’s Traffic Projects Group said ”We have had a number of meetings with representatives of local interest groups. There are some wide ranging views and we have now developed a set of proposals, which the majority of stakeholders accept as being the basis upon which Phase 1 of the scheme should move forward.”
Brian Wall from Leamington Chamber Trade said: “The Chamber supports Stage 1 of the proposed scheme. We do not oppose the introduction of on-street parking charges within the town centre providing the charges are fair and reasonable.”
Sue Butcher from Warwick Chamber of Trade said: “We accept that the implementation of this programme is inevitable and we are committed to working with the County Council to ensure that the scheme gets the balance right.”
James Mackay of the Warwick Society said: “We strongly support the principle of the project as long as it is implemented with the main potential criticisms resolved and the opportunity to benefit the town fully exploited”.
Robin Richmond from The Leamington Society said: “We are pleased that the County Council has reacted positively to the Society’s representations and we look forward to the wider consultation.”
Richard Palmi from the Residents of Central Kenilworth group said: “We welcomed the opportunity to discuss the proposals with the County Council which we generally support. They should complement the overall traffic management arrangements which emerge for the town centre.”
A report on the scheme is being considered by Warwick District Council’s Executive Committee on 24 July. Roger Bennett said: “We are hoping that the Executive will endorse our initial proposals. We have to work on the details of the scheme over the Summer and are aiming to carry out a wide public consultation in the Autumn.”