Dear Editor,
As a local dance class owner in Nantwich, I feel compelled to speak out about the serious concerns I have regarding Cheshire East Council’s new car parking charges, which are set to come into effect on Monday 26th May 2025.
These changes – which will see parking charges extended from 8am until 10pm, seven days a week – are likely to have a deeply detrimental impact not only on my own classes at Nantwich Civic Hall, but on many other local businesses that rely on evening footfall.
What was once free parking after 6pm is now being taken away, and I fear that this will discourage many people from attending classes, events, or even simply visiting the town centre in the evenings.
For small, community-based businesses like mine, margins are already tight. We depend on accessibility and affordability to keep people coming through the doors.
The prospect of visitors having to pay for parking late into the evening – on top of rising living costs – could well be the tipping point that causes them to stay away.
I am not alone in these concerns. Across Nantwich and the wider borough, business owners and residents alike are voicing similar worries.
With the new charges also applying on Sundays and including tariff increases, we’re likely to see more people avoiding town centre car parks altogether.
Instead, they may opt for free supermarket parking, out-of-town retail parks, or online shopping – choices that will further erode the viability of our high streets.
There is also the wider community impact to consider.
Displaced parking could clog residential side streets, increasing frustration for locals and creating hazards for emergency services trying to access narrower roads.
The council may argue these changes bring us in line with other areas and help maintain infrastructure, but in my view, they risk inflicting long-term harm on the very communities they are meant to serve.
I urge Cheshire East Council to pause, listen, and reconsider the full scope of these new parking arrangements before they come into force.
Best regards,
Adrian Churm
Dance Instructor, Nantwich Civic Hall
It’s all part of a broken process where no-one cares and nothing works while we pay for the air that we breathe. It’ll only change when we’ve hit rock bottom, the vast majority wise up, and more act, voting for radical change.
Sadly Cheshire East won’t listen. You are correct that residential streets will get clogged up with people parking. Residents in my community in Alsager have to contend daily with drivers blocking driveways & junctions because they don’t want to pay parking charges. Speeding has increased because drivers race to get past parked cars before oncoming traffic. Larger vehicles drive on the pavement because there isn’t room to pass. The car parks are nearly empty most days. Cheshire East tell us it is a matter for the police but Danny Price, the elected Police & Crime Commissioner couldn’t be bothered to reply to my letter expressing concerns. When there is a serious accident none of them will accept responsibility. You won’t get anywhere complaining.
What are they going to do with the extra income from the car park charges,
I know let’s put it to another car park.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Nig, it’s important to recognise that travel isn’t just about hobbies. It’s a vital part of our community and economy. Many people and businesses rely on travel for their operations and growth, and it supports countless jobs. Additionally, many people who attend these events are elderly and live far away, making public transport not a viable option for them. The costs associated with travel impact more than just individual leisure activities; they affect the livelihoods of many people and the overall health of our economy. So, it’s not just about personal enjoyment, but about supporting our community and businesses.
CEC doing what they do best – ruining communities and ruining peoples lives. The impact will occur slowly as people try to survive, but the detrimental impacts are coming. Car parking charges are just one very damaging example of CEC self-inflicting harm onto the citizens of Chesire East
If your travelling it’s part of the cost, so please stop.complaining about you polluting hobby costing you more
Many people travel in from other areas such as stoke and Chester. Public transport is not ideal especially late at night for some
Nig,
The class members come from Chester, Stoke, Market Drayton, Crewe, Alsager and Nantwich, to name a few places. Public transport isn’t necessarily an option, particularly for those that stay until 10.30pm.
Maybe people could use public transport, a car isn’t a right and it’s cheaper than paying for parking, running costs for the car….