Thousands have their say as car parking consultation comes to an end

Almost 5,000 residents and businesses have had their say on Wiltshire Council’s parking review, which came to an end yesterday (January 19).

Wiltshire Council started the comprehensive public consultation in October last year to hear people’s views on its car parking policy.

The council is committed to reviewing the policy every four years, and the responses will now be analysed to help council leaders decide its future.

John Thomson, cabinet member for sustainable transport, said: “I’d like to thank everyone for taking the time to respond to our consultation. We’ve had some really positive collaborative consultation meetings about this and the feedback received will go a long way in helping us decide our policy for car parking.

“There are many factors to consider going forward, including the local economy, providing value for money for residents and our services, and taking environmental issues into account. It’s a tough balance to achieve but we’re going to make every effort to put a strategy in place that reflects local circumstances.”

The outcome of the review could see a move away from the current charging for parking based on four bands, to options based on individual car parks or town assessments. These options use factors such as usage of car parks and location, as well as looking at the wider economic and environmental issues. This approach gives the council greater ability to manage car parking demand and supply.

Recommendations will be put forward for the council’s cabinet to consider at a future meeting.