Parking charge protest
petitions and over 300 online. This campaign is really building momentum.”
Lucy Curan from the Nail Studio said: “Clients and customers shouldn’t be charged for the privilege of shopping local and supporting small businesses. Parking charges would ruin the convenience of being able to pop into independent shops and may seriously affect trade”.
Mandy Parkin-Rhodes, of Dress For Less, added: “Free short stay parking is the lifeblood of any village - take that away and businesses struggle. Councils need to understand the long-term ramifications of their short-term gains. Businesses close, council tax revenue is lost and, more importantly, a community dies forever.”
Nicola Lee from the Children’s Bookshop said: “It is difficult in this current climate to keep small businesses running but they are vital to the wellbeing of communities and of the wider economy.
“Car parking charges will reduce the number of customers even further which would be disastrous. Please do not charge for our little car park.”
Mandy Wilson, of Manjo Home, said: “Lindley has such an issue with parking. Adding a pay and display in a currently free car park is preposterous.
“I have a shop on Lidget street and I want to encourage more customers rather than losing existing ones. Find another way of bringing in revenue than penalising independent shops which already struggle with parking for their customers.
And butcher Gary Butler said: “I object to parking charges in Lindley car park because I feel it will discourage shoppers in the village. Instead of paying to park they will start parking on an already busy Lidget Street.
“There is already a problem with people abusing the one-hour parking with cars left overnight from customers at various eating places, especially Friday until Saturday lunchtime. Traffic wardens need to spend more time in Lindley. This would generate far more money than parking charges.”
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.”