WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL has listened to our campaign and is promising to introduce free parking as part of a support package for the town centre retailers.
As we have featured over the past few weeks, Wokingham has been struggling as a result of the regeneration works and the launch of Bracknell’s new Lexicon shopping centre. Retailers have said that business is down, footfall in down and their takings are down.
And things have got worse for the independent stores as big names announced their intention to leave and road closures have brought traffic to a grinding halt.
In our September 7 issue, we called on Wokingham Borough Council to lead the way by letting residents use borough car parks free for four hours.
And tonight (Thursday, October 26), they look set to make good on that promise.
At a meeting of its Executive, Cllr Chris Bowring, the executive member for highways and transport, is to introduce a motion to make car parking in Wokingham town centre car parks free after 3pm until 8am during November, December and January.
In a statement, the Council revealed the full extent of its Free After Three package, which it says is designed to support to help shops and other businesses during this difficult construction period in Wokingham town centre.
- ‘Free After Three’ parking in the borough council’s town centre car parks from 3pm to 8am the next day during the important pre-Christmas and New Year sales period
- Regular morning surgeries for shops and businesses to ensure all can be kept informed of works and discuss issues. These will complement regular visits to individual shops being made by contractors and the town council
- Online videos being funded by WBC, Wokingham Town Council and Wokingham Business Association to promote businesses and the town
- A stakeholder workshop on Wednesday evening to generate further initiatives together with Wokingham town centre shops and businesses.
Borough Council Leader Cllr Charlotte Haitham Taylor and other councillors said that they have been out and about to talk to shopkeepers about disruption being caused by the Market Place Improvement Project.
She said: “The vision for the town centre is incredible and millions of pounds are being invested in it. But we know that will mean little to businesses struggling right now and I felt the pain of the traders I spoke to in recent days.
“My conversations have given us some thoughts about how we can help; firstly, there have been calls for free parking and we plan to act on that immediately with our Free After Three initiative. This will mean nobody has to pay for parking in the council’s own Wokingham town centre car parks from 3pm until 8am the next day.
“We are also improving the flow of information to shops and businesses because, although there has been a lot of communication offered, some messages are still not getting through. Contractors and town council staff have been visiting business regularly but we want to formalise this with regular, well-publicised surgeries.”
The Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Lindsay Ferris had previously advocated a two-hour free parking period using discs available from retailers.
He said that the council’s decision to axe car parking charges after 3pm was a U turn and that Cllr Chris Bowring should consider his position.
“Another Cllr has the conversion on the way to Damascus, especially as Cllr Chris Bowring was so adamant that nothing was going to change and that his car parking income had increased – so what was the problem?
“One must question Cllr Chris Bowring’s credibility. This proposal is long awaited and would at last show the Council had begun to understand the local traders and residents problems, but many weeks too late. I suspect Chris Bowring has been told to do something. Time for a new Exec member.”
This view was echoed by Cllr Gary Cowan, the independent councillor for Arborfield.
He said: “At long last thanks to the pressure from all and sundry the insensitive uncaring Wokingham Conservatives have woken up at long last to the realisation that their uncompromising stance on car parking charges while the town is in a dreadful mess.”
