This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Petition started to allow hour of free parking in Banbury town centre
10/03/2023
Its hoped Councillors will take notice – they have resisted car parking concessions so far
A Banbury business owner has launched a petition in an attempt to persuade Cherwell District Council to offer an element of free parking in its car parks.
Barry Whitehouse runs the Artery Art Shop in Parson’s Street. He is hoping to persuade the Council to provide one hour of free parking in an attempt to encourage people to use the town centre.
He said: “When we’ve got two out of town retail parks and every major supermarket that we have (other than the new build Lidl) all offering unlimited free parking, we feel it’s right to re-address the playing field and level it a little bit. Asking for one hour free would be a really interesting way of finding out if car parking is an issue that would inhibit people from coming in and enjoying the town centre.”
Councillors at Cherwell have acknowledged on several occasions in recent months that income from its car parks is lower than anticipated with less people heading into town. In October Council Leader Barry Wood said residents “do not need to worry” about the funding of services, despite a £458,000 gap between what the Council had budgeted to make from car parking charges and projections for the actual amount at the time.
Reduced footfall in the town centre is making life increasingly difficult for town centre businesses, which are already facing spiralling costs. The problem is compounded by the free parking offered by Banbury’s retail parks and supermarkets.
Cherwell currently offers free parking in the evening. Mr Whitehouse says the difference between daytime and evening usage is marked: “In an evening there are very few car parking spaces available. It proves that when there is an element of free parking people are happier and more willing to use it, to support the businesses.”
The hope is that the number of people signing the petition will make Councillors take notice and allow the free hour – something they have resisted so far.
Mr Whitehouse said: “If enough people sign it the Council can see that there is a strong feeling that people would like to use the town centre more, if there was an element of free parking.
“People could then nip in, get what they want and support the town more.
“We’ve seen people that come into businesses that will say ‘I’d like to stop and browse, but my car parking is up. I’ve got to go’. Hopefully a hour free would help people spend longer in the town, shop more and enjoy what we’ve got to offer.”
The petition can be found here.
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam
Cathy Coverley On 10/03/2023 at 5:08 pm
Great idea.. the town needs this boost