Scheme to sell off car parks is ‘not a fully fledged idea’

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Plans to sell off swathes of the city’s car parks may never see the light of day, Canterbury’s council leader admits.

Simon Cook has told the Gazette that the authority may have a “rethink” over proposals to scrap 439 city centre spaces.

It has also emerged that the unpopular proposals will not receive county council backing when it endorses the city council’s transport strategy blueprint tonight.

Last year the city council voted to completely close Rosemary Lane, Hawks Lane, Northgate, Castle Row and St John’s Lane car parks.

Spaces would also be lost at St Radigund’s, Longport and Holman’s Meadow.

The closure would represent a 20% cull of the 2,461 spaces serving the city centre.

But Cllr Cook, new leader of the authority since shortly after the local elections in May, now says the plans may have proved too unpopular.

He told the Gazette: “It’s a personal view, but I think Canterbury City Council may have a rethink about this. The message is coming through loud and clear that people don’t like their car parks being moved willy nilly.”

The sell-off would be aimed at tackling increasing city congestion as well as boosting council coffers after a period of austerity.

But city centre traders have repeatedly expressed fears that the closures would drive customers into the arms of out-of-town shopping centres and internet vendors.

While the city council has claimed that the sell-off would encourage shoppers to use park and ride schemes to whisk them into the centre, the traders fear many customers would simply avoid Canterbury altogether.

Cllr Cook said: “I’m very cautious about selling off our car parks, simply because I’m concerned about whether or not we have the excess capacity to cope.

“We’ve pledged to listen to people and it’s important to note that it’s not anywhere near a fullyfledged idea.

“It’s definitely in the back of our minds that there are issues.”

Tonight, Kent County Council is set to back the city council’s overall transport strategy.

The blueprint for transport development sets out plans to reduce traffic in the city centre, including a series of link-roads on its outskirts.

While KCC is set to endorse the strategy as a whole, its report ahead of tonight’s meeting states: “...the County Council does not support further reductions in city centre car parking and welcomes assurances received from the City Council that these will not be pursued without evidence of public support and adequate supply remaining”.

City council spokesman Rob Davies said KCC would have no power of veto over the city council should it wish to sell its car parks.

However, he said the authority would not be selling them unless it could demonstrate sufficient capacity elsewhere and without consulting the public first.

City traders have cautiously welcomed Cllr Cook’s words.

Debbie Barwick, who owns Revivals second-hand clothing shop in St Peter’s Street, is chairman of Canterbury City Traders Association.

She said: “It’s been a battle, to be honest, and this is a step in the right direction. Small traders in Canterbury need car parking spaces to attract people in. Local people use those spaces for errands in the city centre.

“Get rid of the spaces, you drive shoppers to out-of-town shopping centres where they park for free.

“You lose the local people, too, and end up with just tourists and students.”