Retailers and politicians back our parking campaign

RETAILERS and politicians are backing our call for Wokingham Borough Council to offer free parking during the regeneration works in the town centre.

We are asking for the easing of fees to encourage more people to come shopping in the town while improvements to Market Place takes shape and Peach Place is constructed.

Liberal Democrat borough and town councillor Imogen Shepherd-DuBey said that she had “long campaigned” for Wokingham to enjoy the same trial on parking restrictions that Woodley does: free after 6pm and Sundays.

She added: “There is no legitimate reason why the Woodley Trial cannot be extended to the towns in the Borough that would like it, especially Wokingham at this difficult time.”

The party’s Wokingham leader, Cllr Lindsay Ferris, felt that the borough council is pushing through the regeneration in a “gung ho” fashion.

“It would appear WBC are more interested in gaining Car Parking revenue than they are in supporting local traders,” he told The Wokingham Paper.

“Without a relaxation [of parking restrictions] a number of retailers may be at risk, as a significant number of visitors will go elsewhere during this period of upheaval.”

He added: “This issue has clearly not be thought through. WBC just seem gung ho on pushing for Town Centre Regeneration, irrespective of whether local residents want the developments being proposed, or not.”

Retailers are also hoping that the borough council will act on parking charges.

Jan Rixon from TG Art Gallery said: “They should be doing it and they should be making a song and dance about it.”

Mike Flint from Wokingham Decor added his support to the campaign, noting: “Bracknell is bigger than us. Reading is trying to be a city and we’re in the middle trying to be a market town.

“The 20-minute spaces outside my store have not been policed for two years.”

And Gill Bell from John Bell Carpets in Denmark Street said: “It’s a good idea to drop the charges: anything that helps.”

Cllr Chris Bowring, from Wokingham Borough Council, pledged to look at the issue.

He said: “We have looked at how many people are using the car parks in Wokingham Town, particularly since Denmark Street closed on July 31. We can see that the number of tickets sold in August this year is nearly 9,000 more than in the same month last year. This is despite increased competition from the recently expanded car park at Wokingham Station.

“However, we take the concerns of our local businesses seriously, and we will continue to monitor the situation very closely. As a Council we are committed to maintaining Wokingham Borough’s status as a great place to live and an even better place to do business.”