Readers react angrily to council plans to impose car park fees

READERS have reacted angrily to our story that Kirklees councillors are considering imposing charges in car parks across Kirklees.

The council hopes to raise as much as £250,000 from the charges if it decides to adopt the controversial policy ... but people fear it will lead to side streets becoming clogged up and local shops suffering.

Huddersfield town centre has 16 car parks but all are fee-paying while many outlying areas including Marsh, Honley, Scissett, Kirkburton, Almondbury, Mirfield, Golcar, Lockwood, Milnsbridge, Skelmanthorpe and Marsden offer dozens of free spaces.

In north Kirklees entire towns such as Batley enjoy free parking, with more than 10 car parks offering more than 400 spaces. In Cleckheaton it is a similar situation with nearly 300 spaces available.

A Kirklees Council spokeswoman said: “No decision has been made on changes to parking operations. Officers will be working on a report for submission to Cabinet later this year.”

Many readers took to Facebook to give their views.

They did that in my local village and now everyone parks on the roads and avoids the car park. No revenue for the council (possibly loss making given costs) and much more dangerous for pedestrians. When has common sense ever been shown at the council though?

I use the free ones in Marsh and Lindley to nip into local shops. I wouldn’t use them if had to pay. Bad idea

Long-term they will have destroyed every village when the businesses close down as nobody stops and nips into local shops if they have to pay to park. They shut down so no rent off them. That’s why this council is so shambolic – short-term gains but no longterm

Not a good idea – perhaps limit parking to an hour then charge? Think of the local shops and their sustainability – it’s tough being a small independent trader.

Well, someone has to pay for the increase in allowances the councillors get. Just how ungrateful can visitors to hospitals and town centre shoppers be when they won’t support their own Labour-run council. Absolutely ridiculous. St James’s Road car park, Marsh, could be affected if Kirklees Council decides to introduce charges for the remaining free car parks across the borough

Turned town into a ghost town with parking charges, bus gates, litter patrols and now wanting to turn village shopping likewise. Well done once again – how to destroy commerce in easy targets.