Cheshire East Council has offered Nantwich residents and visitors four days of free car parking later this year.
However, the offer is unlikely to appease many who are angry at parking charges being re-introduced by the authority after suspension of charges during lockdown.
The council says it aims to support the borough’s towns during special events and busy periods, such as festivals and the run-up to Christmas.
In Nantwich, this will mean four free parking days on the Snow Hill, Civic Hall and Bowling Green car parks. But Love Lane car park is NOT on the list.
The “free after 3pm” parking scheme remains in place on the Snow Hill car park in Nantwich.
Cllr Laura Crane, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for highways and waste, said: “This is good news for our towns and residents – and local shops and businesses.
“The council faces severe financial pressures – with increased demand for key services and big reductions in income due to Covid-19.
“However, we wanted to reintroduce this scheme, which was first offered in 2016, to help give our towns and high streets an extra boost – and as a thank you to our residents for their support and patience during the challenges of the pandemic and lockdown.”
There will be four free days allowed per town or parish council area, in places where charges apply.
Cllr Crane added: “The primary purpose of this incentive is to support our towns and provide a flexible incentive which can be used in the run up to Christmas or spread throughout the year to aid key town events.
“This is in addition to the free parking after 3pm at certain designated car parks within the borough.
“The offer of free parking will be considered on those car parks predominantly used by shoppers and the parking services team would welcome advanced liaison from the relevant councils and notice of the chosen days.
“This is to ensure there are no other programmed events taking place. The days chosen by the participating councils will follow consultation with their elected members, event organisers, local shops and businesses and charity event organisers.
“In return, the council requests feedback on these initiatives to ascertain their effectiveness for both shoppers and businesses.”
The car parks authorised for this incentive are:
● Macclesfield: Duke Street; Exchange Street; Churchill Way; Park Green; Sunderland Street; Town Hall and Whalley Hayes;
● Crewe: Civic Library; Gatefield; Holly Bank; Delamere Street; Lyceum; Wrexham Terrace;
● Nantwich: Snow Hill; Civic Hall; Bowling Green;
● Congleton: Fairground; Back Park Street; Princess Street;
● Alderley Edge: South Street;
● Knutsford: Princess Street; Silk Mill Street; King Street; and
● Wilmslow: South Drive; Hoopers; Spring Street; Rex.
Free parking will start after 10am on the four designated days.
Nantwich Town Council will be asked to advertise and promote the free days.
Its seems as if we have an incompetent council and an incompetent MP and all from opposite sides no wonder the county and the country is in such a mess.
What a time to be alive. Wish grandad could live to see this.
Quite ironic that love lane car park is not on the list considering that when the travelers were on there Cheshire East provided them with portable toilets
Graham,
Thank you for the clarification of the costs which show a gross disparity across the region and I agree with all who say that this must be reviewed – it’s disgraceful.
Perhaps it would help to start a petition?
Car parks I go on in Crewe,barely half full nowadays? Is this something to do with the notices that cash payments no longer accepted??? Cars probably parking on side streets blocking them up?
Pay it in car parking or pay it in your council tax, the choice is yours. Money doesn’t grow on trees as people seem to think.
When CEC was set up in April 2009 it was supposed to improve efficiency etc. Whilst I can’t be fully sure I think something was said at the time about aligning car park charges so all were treated the same. Graham Fenton’s post says something different.
Wow. How can such disparities be justified.
I think more needs to be done for more free parking as because of parking charges means people are using roads such as manor road to park their cars all day as they don’t want to pay on the car park but this is making the streets dangerous and unbearable to drive down
2018/2019 CEC Car Park Income
Alsager = £228
Congleton = £198,568
Middlewich = £Nil
Sandbach = £1,021
Crewe = £854,262
Nantwich = £718,595
Thank you Cllr Laura Crane for the free 4 days. There is still an inequality of Car park income in Crewe & Nantwich (& the old Macclesfield Borough) compared to the old Congleton Borough