Concerns have been raised about the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s plans to fund free car parking in some parts of the county.
Concerns have been raised about Mayoral plans to fund free car parking in some parts of Cambridgeshire. Worries have been shared about the impact this could have on bus usage, as well as claims it would not be reasonable to expect taxpayers from across the county to fund free parking in just a few areas.
The Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Paul Bristow (Conservative), has proposed to spend £1.2million over the next two financial years on free parking in Peterborough and Huntingdonshire. In his election manifesto Mr Bristow pledged to offer funding to councils to deliver free parking.
He has now proposed to use £1.2m over the next two years to fund free parking in Peterborough and Huntingdonshire. However, questions have already been raised about whether the £1.2m proposed in the draft budget for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority would be enough.
The leader of Peterborough City Council, Councillor Shabina Qayyum (Labour), has previously said that the cost of 24/7 free parking in Peterborough would be £3.4million.
At a meeting of the Combined Authority’s Board this week (November 26) the Mayor faced questions from a member of the public, who raised concerns about the impact the proposed free parking could have on the usage of public transport.
Richard Wood, from the group Cambridge Area Bus Users, said he would like to see a business case on how free parking would support businesses, suggesting that other options like vouchers for people using public transport could be considered.
He said: “What does concern me is I do know that just outside of our area one town has brought in a significant amount of free parking and it has had a negative impact on bus services, so that town is in danger of declining bus usage, higher fares and that downward spiral.
“In our own area there is one city which does have free parking, and has had that for a long time, and it has lost every single one of its commercial bus services, meaning that the authority has had to step in and subsidise those services that are necessary, and that is Ely.
“The concern is that by giving free parking it encourages people off buses and into private cars. Some people will always be using private cars, that is the best mode of transport for them, I will not argue with that, but wherever we can encourage active, sustainable travel we should do that.
“If we increase car transport there are knock on effects, potential road building maintenance and declining bus services, which can lead to a lot of people becoming isolated, and this has knock on effects on council budgets in terms of social care if people become home bound. I would like to see a thorough business case on how high street retail is best encouraged.”
‘Retailers in Peterborough need support’
Mr Bristow said his specific proposals on free parking would be shared “in due course”, and said he was “only able to indicate the level of funding proposed” at this stage.
He said retailers in Peterborough “need support” and claimed there is a challenge being faced of “car drivers who no longer arrive [in Peterborough] because of the cost of parking in the city centre”.
Mr Bristow said: “The disparity between driving to an out of centre retail park, of which there are many in Peterborough, and driving to central Peterborough is what I am trying to address.
“Moreover any funding that we provide would subsidise parking at times when trade is slow, not at peak hours. I am trying to extend similar opportunities on parking across Huntingdonshire.”
Mr Bristow added that he appreciated Mr Wood’s concerns about the impact on public transport usage. He said: “I am sure you will be delighted to hear that in many cases the number of people using buses has increased, and I am determined to ensure that continues with bus franchising.”
‘Unreasonable expect taxpayers fund free parking some areas and not others’
Councillor Lucy Nethsingha (Liberal Democrat), leader Cambridgeshire County Council, highlighted that the proposal for free car parking in the draft budget was not something the Board had yet been able to discuss.
She said: “It is not something that will be a priority for us. I do not think it is reasonable to expect council tax payers across the whole of Cambridgeshire to pay for free car parking in some areas and not other areas. I think it is an inappropriate proposal, but I am sure we will have many discussions about it.”
Councillor Bridget Smith (Liberal Democrat), leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, said she would not be able to support “using public money to subsidise free parking”. She said the concerns raised by Mr Wood were “very good reasons about the negative impact or consequences” of the proposal.
Cllr Qayyum said she supported there being a public consultation to give people a chance to have their say on the whole draft budget, including the free parking proposal.
However, she said she wanted to make the point that the plan “slightly conflicts with the whole note about moving away from car dependency”, as she said free parking would encourage the use of cars.
Councillor Anna Bailey (Conservative), leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council, said free car parking was “incredibly popular” in her area. She said she “totally supported it as something to try to support high streets”. Cllr Bailey said she also wanted to address the point raised by Mr Wood about the decline of bus services in Ely.
She said: “The demise of the number nine was in no way, in my experience and knowledge of my area, related to the very long standing free parking policy East Cambridgeshire District Council has in town and city centre car parks.
“It was a very popular bus service, very well used, the provider decided to stop running certain elements of it and because of that we lost 62.5 per cent of passenger journeys, because the timetable was hollowed out, it was not related in any way to free parking policy.”
A public consultation is due to be held on the proposals in the Combined Authority budget, which also include a freeze of the council tax contribution to the authority. The consultation is expected to start on December 1, and run until January 12.
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