Wycombe District Council chiefs move to explain parking ticket increases (From Bucks Free Press)

Wycombe District Council chiefs move to explain parking ticket increases

10:16am Wednesday 17th March 2010 in

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PARKING chiefs have issued a public statement explaining planned ticket increases after an outcry from shoppers and workers.

Wycombe District Council stressed the plans would be consulted on and were needed to encourage more short term parking in High Wyombe town centre.

Charges would go up at Easton Street and Swan multi-storey car parks and other surface car parks around district. Plans to hike on-street charges were shelved, however.

Angry residents said the move would hit the district’s economy as Bucks struggles with the effects of the recession.

Any changes would happen in September.

Click the links at the bottom of this story for more information on the plans.

The statement said: “As part of the review, the council has looked at local needs and consulted a number of stakeholders and has also compared its charges with that of other neighbouring areas.

“It has also looked at usage patterns and making the best use of parking capacity and supply and demand for parking across the district, taking into account different needs for parking in High Wycombe, Marlow and Princes Risborough.

“Since the last off-street parking review, Eden has opened in High Wycombe, and its success has made the town one of the top 50 shopping destinations in the UK.

“Increased visitor numbers has changed traffic and parking habits in the centre of High Wycombe.

“There is greater demand for both short stay parking for shoppers and long stay parking for workers in High Wycombe.

“The current proposals aim to encourage short stay parking in inner High Wycombe car parks and offer reasonably priced longer stay parking in outer car parks and also aim to differentiate tariffs in Eastern, Western and Central High Wycombe car parking charges.

“Changes in pricing are proposed which would reduce the cost of long-term parking in the Western car parks in the town which are currently under-used.

“In other parts of the district, proposals include a reduction in the long stay tariff in the Court Garden section of Pound Lane car park in Marlow and the introduction of a one hour tariff instead of the current minimum charge for two hours.

“In Bourne End, where there is currently a charge for up to one hour parking, proposals would allow the introduction of a reduced tariff half hour parking charge.

“While there is a recommendation to increase some tariffs, the recommendation for the majority is to keep them as they are currently.”