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Solihull Metropolitan Borough
Council is looking at introducing charges of up to £2.40 (see below) in a bid to free up spaces and
bring in funds for the cash-strapped local authority.
The council runs six free car
parks with 313 spaces at the back of the Greswolde Arms, around the village
hall, the back of Natwest, by Tesco and at Lodge Croft.
These are limited to two to four hours and charges would be expected to apply from 8am to 6pm .
It is to consult on three
options for charges and the authority plans to have charges in place by July 1.
A council report said: “Demand
for parking in Knowle remains high, with the spaces closest to the village’s
shopping centre being well used. Vehicles can be seen frequently touring the
car parks looking for space in the prime locations.
“In sufficient capacity has
also been a problem in the past which leads to an increased level of parking in
the adjacent un-restricted residential streets. It is also important to provide
the right balance between short and long stay parking.
“Too much long stay parking
from employees will prevent customers being able to access their preferred
shopping facility.”
And it said enforcement by
traffic wardens is “difficult and time consuming” and the council has to find
funds for maintenance costs.
Charges would allow a “higher
turnover of vehicles” and “a potential new source of revenue to help meet the council’s
efficiency targets” it added.
The council’s parking
services department has to make £449,500 savings by 2015. It said its budget -
£1.2m this year – is under “significant pressure” from rising costs and
under-use.
It said last month’s approval
of a Waitrose supermarket for St John’s
The plans - to also affect
Shirley and Brueton and Malvern parks – come after the authority scrapped
pay-on-foot machines for pay and display at its Mell Square
Council cabinet member for
transport Ted Richards will be asked to give his support at a meeting on December 6. Traders and councillors will then be consulted.
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