Street parking rises scrapped (From Bucks Free Press)

Street parking rises scrapped for High Wycombe

10:15am Wednesday 10th March 2010 in Marlow By Oliver Evans

Parking meter charges will not rise - for now

PLANS to increase on-street parking charges in High Wycombe have been axed.

Wycombe District Council says more discussions are needed with Buckinghamshire County Council, which must give the final say on any changes.

It had put forward plans to increase charges from 10p for every 12 minutes to 20p or 40 on 42 streets around High Wycombe (see link, bottom of story, for full list).

Yet bosses last night backed controversial increases to council car parks. These will now be consulted on with any changes taking affect from September.

Councillor Audrey Jones, responsible for car parking, told The Bucks Free Press: “We had anticipated we would be able to work to a September time line but it turns out it might be more difficult than that.”

The need to make orders and have separate consultation had changed the time-line she said – but could not rule out the increases coming back at a future date. She told councillors that ‘further discussions’ are needed.

Councillor Valerie Letheren, BCC’s transport boss, said officers had not been able to meet WDC staff to discuss the move.

She said: “If they go up then it has to be a mutual agreement.”

Desborough Pets owner Russell Lacey – who had strongly criticised the plans – welcomed the move.

He said: “It is good news. Anything that encourages investment to the town centre has to be good news.

“The more expensive it is, the more you put people off.”

But a cabinet colleague attacked Cllr Jones over increases in Desborough Road car park. Easton Street and the Swan multi-stories would also see rises.

There would be 50p increases in the three to six hour stay brackets. Only up to one hour and up to 12 hours would remain unchanged.

Cllr Jean Teesdale said traders ‘have have had a very hard time for a very long time’ with trade taken away by nearby Eden.

She said: “Now we are going to put more pressure on them by increasing these car parking charges. I am just very concerned.

“They are individual businessmen trying to make a living.”

She pointed to council investment in a new arts centre at the former St John’s Church and warned: “We don’t want to get into a position where people don’t go there any more.”

But Cllr Jones said only long-stay shoppers would be affected as up to one hour would stay at £1.

She said: “This is very close to Eden and is used as a shoppers car park and that is why the long-stay prices are as they are.”

The increases at all car parks were needed plug a gap in the budget caused by low Government funding and less cash from car parks, she said.

Takings had not been as high as expected since Eden opened, she added – but said higher charges would not put people off.

The proposed charges are ‘significantly less’ than other car parks, she said.

Cllr Jones told cabinet members at Monday’s meeting: “You can take it from me that we are not being unrealistic in our proposals.”