Residents to have their say over parking proposals

Lorraine Lewis thinks the proposals could make things more inaccessible for visitors

Residents have given their views ahead of a public consultation that will aim to tackle a lack of parking in a Nottinghamshire town.

Businesses and householders on a number of streets in West Bridgford will be invited to have their say over the proposals in August.

This will be followed by an open public consultation in September.

If introduced, drivers parking on the selected roads for more than 30 minutes could be charged, the county council said.

Ray Kokoszko is in favour of the changes

Parking has a significant impact on residents in the town as it is home to two of the city's major sporting venues - Trent Bridge and the Forest Ground.

The new plans would see drivers parking for free on certain roads for 30 minutes before charges start to apply.

The streets affected would be Albert Road, Florence Road, Gordon Road, Gordon Square, Bridgford Road, Church Drive, Davies Road, Rectory Road (north and south), Priory Road, Fox Road, and Hound Road.

Ray Kokoszko, 71, has lived on Albert Road for 40 years.

He said: "Too many cars park along here because there is no deterrent.

"People often park in these bays all day, and then very few people get to make use of the spaces. The charges should help this and allow more people to visit the area."

Lorraine Lewis, 63, who frequently shops in West Bridgford, said: "Free parking for half an hour isn't long enough, it's not enough time to go for lunch or do your shopping.

"This just makes things more inaccessible for visitors."

Becky Chesbrough thinks it could be a good thing for the council

Resident Becky Chesbrough, who is 44, said she did not think it would make "much of a difference" to people living nearby, but it might benefit the council.

"When Forest play and so on, it does get quite busy around here; I guess it could help that, but we tend to plan our parking in advance when that happens," she said.

"If the charges end up being reasonable, it could bring in extra revenue for the council, which is a good thing."

Councillor Neil Clarke MBE, cabinet member for transport and environment, said: "We know how important it is to local retailers that there are sufficient parking opportunities close to the town centre.

"These proposals would provide 30 minutes free parking at the locations identified, while introducing a small charge for an hour-long stay, which would then gradually increase for longer stays.

"We believe this can meet the needs of residents popping briefly to the shops, whilst also supporting visitors who travel to the town centre by car and sometimes wish to stay longer."

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