Mid Devon free parking set for rejection

It's seen as being contrary to ambitious emissions targets

A bid for free parking in long stay car parks in Mid Devon on Saturday’s is set to be rejected as it would ‘fly in the face’ of the climate change agenda.

Earlier this year, Cllr Frank Letch had proposed the motion as a way of helping to save the High Street of Tiverton, Cullompton and Crediton.

Mid Devon’s Economy Policy Development Group had initially considered the motion in June and agreed to postpone a decision as to whether or not to support or reject the Motion pending a report from the re-established Car Parking Working Group.

But at an extraordinary meeting of Mid Devon’s Full Council at the end of June, members voted unanimously to support an ambitious cut in carbon emission.

They agreed to work to the Devon-wide target of 2050, but will aim for Mid Devon to become carbon neutral by a more ambitious date of 2030.

Last Thursday’s Economy Policy Development Group heard that the Car Parking Working Group had concluded that supporting free car parking would be contrary to the carbon neutral target.

Proposing that September’s full council meeting reject the motion, the Economy Policy Development Group agreed that as the council had recently signed up to the climate declaration and aimed to be carbon neutral by 2030 and cars were significant carbon emitters, therefore if the council were to support this Motion it would be seen as encouraging the use of cars.

The Group acknowledged that the Council had, in recent years, offered free parking in each of the towns on the four Saturdays in the run up to Christmas, and agreed to contact each of the town councils to ask if they would prefer these ‘free days’ to be at different times of the year when they might be holding events that attracted a greater number of visitors.

It comes as next Thursday’s cabinet meeting as recommended to approve a series of new parking tariffs for Mid Devon’s car parks.

The newly proposed tariffs have projected an increase in income for the council of around £225,600, but members are being warned that price changes could influence peoples choices whether to use our car parks or not, and that tickets purchased have already fallen since the data was produced.

The proposed changes are:

In the Market Place, Becks Square, Market Street, Crediton, car parks, the 30 minute tariff of £1 has been removed and the one hour tariff reduced from £1.50 to £1.25, but there will be a slight increase of 20p on the two hour tariff from £2 to £2.20.

The Phoenix House Car Park will still offer 15 minutes free parking, but a maximum stay of 1 hour for £1, Monday – Saturday, will be introduced.

Tiverton’s Multi-Storey car park will see its current tariffs hiked. At present, it costs £2 for 14 hours, £5 for 24 hours, and an additional £5 per day. But under the new tariffs, it would cost £2 for two hours, £4 for five hours, £5 for ten hours, £10 for 24 days, and an additional £10 per extra day.

The William Street Car Park currently offers 30 minutes free during the charging period, but it will only be kept free between 8:30am and 9:30am and 3pm and 4pm. A new tariff of £1.25 for one hour will be introduced and the two hours tariff will rise by 20p to £2.20.

The St Saviours Way (High Street), Crediton Car Park has been classed as a long stay car park and currently has 10 hours for £2 and 24 hours for £5. But the new traffic would see two hour parking for £1.80, £2.50 for five hours, £3 for ten hours and £5 for 24 hours. The same changes would be made for the Station Road, Cullompton, car park, but with a £1 for one hour tariff introduced.

The Westexe South Car Park will see the 30 minutes free tariff during day-time charging removed to help try and encourage more dwell time. Tariffs of £1.25 for one hour, £2.20 for two hours and £2.80 for three hours will be introduced.

The Wellbrook Street Car Park will see the 30 minutes free tariff removed. Tariffs of £1.25 for one hour, £2.20 for two hours and £2.80 for three hours will be introduced, as well as a £5 for 24 hours tariff.

The cabinet is recommended to propose the changes to the parking fees to the Full Council.