Parking still too dear after fees cut - traders

A cut in some parking charges in York following a backlash against their increase earlier this year does not go far enough, traders have said.

In April, car parking spots including Bishopthorpe Road saw prices rise from 80p per hour to £4.85, but after complaints from businesses and the public, the council decided this week to reduce fees outside the inner ring road to £3 an hour from July.

However, some traders have said the £3 rate was still too expensive, and they were "very worried" shoppers would instead visit supermarkets and shopping centres with free parking.

City of York councillor Kate Ravilious said the charges would be reviewed every three months to "monitor their impact".

Simon Baines, who runs Millie's fruit and vegetable shop on Bishopthorpe Road, said while he welcomed the fact on-street parking fees had been reduced, he believed they were still "too expensive".

"It's a little bit better, but it's still a big increase from 80p," he said.

"I don't see why we've had to go through all this rigmarole. It's another 21 days before this reduction goes through, so we'll have had two months of all this palaver."

Joe Neeson, who runs The Bishy Weigh eco-refill shop on Bishopthorpe Road, said people running businesses in the area had "mixed feelings" about the council's decision to cut parking charges.

"We acknowledge the council have done a large u-turn on the back of our petition and are listening to us," he said.

"But the next review needs to be informed by the correct car parking data and information about various shops' takings - and I don't feel it is.

"Their data isn't reflective. We traders can provide the council with all this takings information."

Husband and wife team Hugo Hildyard and Florencia Clifford, who run the Partisan Cafe on Micklegate, both agreed the £3 parking fee was still too much.

Ms Clifford said the fact the council had removed the option to pay for just 30 minutes parking was "really affecting businesses" in the area.

There was also "no open consultation" over the original changes, Ms Clifford said, adding: "It feels like it was an overnight thing."

Meanwhile, she said the new parking payment machines were not user-friendly and excluded many potential shoppers.

"Now people have to use an app to pay for parking and a lot of people can't do that. I know because I've spent a lot of time doing it for them."

Ms Clifford said she and her husband were worried that instead of using independent businesses on Micklegate and Bishopthorpe Road, people felt pushed towards out-of-town shopping centres with free parking.

"Life is quite tough already for small independent businesses," she said.

"Everything's gone up, and this just drives people away."

Ravilious, Labour's transport spokesperson on the council, said: "While we remain committed to tackling congestion and making it easier for everyone to get around, we recognise some of the uplift in charges in areas where they were previously very low has felt too much in one go.

"We promised when setting the budget we would monitor the impact of any changes.

"We have listened to concerns and acted, approving several changes this week following detailed discussions with traders and local communities across the city.

"These charges will be reviewed at three, six and nine months in order to monitor their impact and ensure we have set them at the right level."

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