Parking Charges Clarification

News and Announcements - Sainsbury's / Waitrose

Sunday, 27 November 2011 12:14

Press Release from Cllr John Thomson, Deputy Leader of Wiltshire Council

My understanding is the parking strategy of WC is that new supermarkets close to Town Centres will have parking charges the same as for Council run car parks and will apply this policy to the two planning applications.

We will also suggest that Wiltshire Council runs the car parks in terms of cash collection, enforcement etc but that the supermarket carries the maintenance and capital costs of resurfacing etc. This is the deal we have in Corsham in one of short stay car parks.

Then we collect the cash, deduct our fee and the balance is allocated to public transport improvements for Malmesbury as agreed by the Area Board.

This approach has the advantage that the traders in the Town Centre will not feel threatened by the Supermarket, as they would if they had free parking. The Supermarket will very probably have a redemption scheme but that is also open to the Town Centre retailing community.

But as no application has been submitted and we do not know the details we are ahead of the process.  I would favour the provision of extra parking for Malmesbury but also funding a better Town bus service especially at the Sainsbury site to link to the town as a  free service, also measures to support the town shops which could include transfer of parking revenue to reduce the town centre parking by funding first 1/2 free.

My understanding is that WC is the only legal local authority that can enforce parking regulations.

The Waitrose site is in Simon Killane Division the Saisnbury’s in mine.

Regards

John

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Communities, Housing and Libraries, Wiltshire Council

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