Shoppers are again set to receive a pre-Christmas boost with free parking at town centres across Caerphilly County Borough.
Proposals to offer drivers up to two hours of free parking between December 10 and 24 will be put before next Tuesday’s cabinet meeting.
Free parking will be available in council-owned car parks in Blackwood, Bargoed, Caerphilly and Ystrad Mynach car parks, the second successive year the Plaid-led council has offered the festive present.
Councillor Ron Davies, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “This initiative was a huge success last year and very much appreciated by traders and shoppers like. Times are very hard and these proposals will provide a timely boost in the run up to Christmas.
“Plaid-run Caerphilly County Borough Council has given top priority to the regeneration of our towns and remarkable success can be seen in Caerphilly, Bargoed, Risca, Newbridge and Blackwood centres.
“Undoubtedly, as a result of actions like free pre-Christmas parking, and the innovative approach to regeneration, the council is working hard to reduce the worst impact of the financial crisis.”
Councillor Allan Pritchard, leader of Caerphily Council, said: “We feel it is important to support town centre businesses which have faced a tough year of trading.
“Small businesses are at the heart of our communities and, hopefully, the free parking offer will encourage many more people to shop locally because our towns have so much to offer.”
Under proposals before the cabinet, the two hour free parking in all off-street pay and display car parks would apply from Saturday December 10, and end on Saturday December 24.
I agree that free parking in the run up to Christmas will be welcome, both to traders and shoppers. This being the case why not extend free parking, in Caerffili, to all year round?
This was first suggested by the Independent candidates at the 2008 election. It was, and is, a good idea but was not implemented. By the coumcil's own admission free parking will boost shopping in the town. It does not make sense to restrict this to only the period before Christmas, when shops can usually expect better trading conditions, anyway.
So if all these out of towners are getting free parking, what happens to the residents, who will find it more difficult to park. Frankly, I dont care about boosting shopping in the town, the shopacracy are all Tories, and didnt help me when they closed Llanwern, all I want to do is park near to my house.
I couldn't agree more with Mr Owen. If parking is free and not regulated all that will happen is the people who work in the banks and building societies will just park there all day rather than come by train or bus. Genuine shoppers would just continue to park in the side streets much to annoyance of the residents. Free parking won't solve the problem. In fact you'd just encourage more car use by people who already work in the town. There's already an existing pollution problem in town, why encourage more car use??
I am not suggesting a parking free for all, merely free parking for two hours in the council car parks. This will not mean people who work in the banks and building societies. The private car park at Morrisons works in exactly this way. This is what the council are going to do in the Christmas period.
I know well what problems parking in the streets, by those who don't live there, causes; believe me. I live in the town too. I don't actually know, or care, who the 'shopacracy' vote for but their businesses provide a vibrant town centre. I would hate to have to get into a car and travel to an out of town mall to buy my spuds and carrots!
Its now 15.25, and in a spot of Ludlow St, which is mixed parking i,e, Residents Parking and 1 hour Parking for shopper etc, I have hd to park on double yellow lines since 9.15, becuase Residents spaces, I could use has been occupied by shopkeepers, with no Residents Disc for the last six hours. If the powers that be cant supervise the existing systme of parking how will they supervise the Christmas two hour Parking?. I dont see this vibrant town Richard Williams talks about, Caerphilly is one of the most depressing town centres I know, and I cant see how two hour parking at Christmas will help.