By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Controversial plans to introduce parking charges in “free” towns and hike up prices in those which already pay have been backed by councillors.
Eleven members of Cheshire East’s highways and transport committee today (Thursday) voted in favour of implementing the new charges, with one voting against and one abstaining.
The “free after 3pm” car parking scheme on some Cheshire East Council car parks will be kept after the results of a public consultation.
But parking charges looks set to be introduced in most car parks where it is currently free, and charges may also be brought in on Sundays.
Nantwich residents are being encouraged to report illegal parking problems as part of a month-long scheme by Cheshire Police.
The Operation Park Safe initiative allows residents to report problems online and is being piloted across the Crewe Local Policing Unit (LPU) throughout January.
Protesters from Audlem called on Cheshire East Council to re-think plans to introduce parking charges, saying it would impact health workers and prevent businesses relocating to town centres, writes Belinda Ryan.
Placard-waving demonstrators turned up outside yesterday’s meeting of the full council at Jodrell Bank to put their arguments to councillors before next month’s highways committee meeting, when a decision on the charges will be made.
Festive shoppers in Nantwich will get four FREE car parking days in a bid to boost trade in the run up to Christmas.
The free parking scheme is run by Cheshire East Council and Nantwich Town Council.
Dear Editor,
When the government announced its plans to scrap HS2, the region around Crewe was devastated but now it appears that there may be a silver lining to the cancellation.
Questions are being asked by residents of the village of Audlem in Cheshire as to whether, with the plans the government has announced to open more branch lines and invest more locally in the north west, the old train line to Audlem which finally closed in 1967 is going to be reopened and the station rebuilt!
Villagers in Audlem are to stage a march and protest this weekend against Cheshire East Council’s plan to introduce parking charges in the village.
The protest is set to take place at 11am on Saturday (November 4) starting at Tollgate Drive.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Bentley Motors needs to crackdown on workers who clog up residential streets rather than parking on the company’s car parks, say councillors.
The luxury car manufacturer was given permission by Cheshire East’s strategic planning board to build a new paint shop at its Crewe campus and two link bridges over Sunnybank Road.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Council should suspend proposed parking and green bin charges until it knows how it will be financially compensated for the scrapping of HS2, a councillor said.
Cllr Reg Kain (Lib Dem) said if the council had committed £11m to HS2, of which £8m had already been spent, then the additional £3m would be returned to the council budget.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Council has not priced up the costs of introducing charges on its free car parks – including having to buy and install meters.
The council is currently consulting with the public on proposals to introduce charges on most of its free car parks and to hike up the fees on most of those which already have pay and display, including Nantwich.
Dear Editor,
Crewe and Nantwich have paid many £MILLIONS in car parking charges since Labour-run Cheshire East was formed in 2009.
However, amazingly, since 2009, NINE towns in Cheshire East have not paid a penny in car park charges.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Council’s deputy leader has warned the days of a free lunch where some towns pay for parking and others don’t “has to become a thing of the past”.
Cllr Craig Browne, who heads up the council’s highways committee, was speaking as members voted in favour of reviewing parking charges across the borough and going out to public consultation.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Conservative group leader has asked what the council will be consulting on over parking charges because the report is “so short on detail”.
Cllr Janet Clowes also believes the council is missing a big opportunity if it does not explore the option of joining the national parking platform (NPP).
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