Councillor warns action is needed to tackle town parking problems

A SENIOR councillor has warned that parking problems in one of Yorkshire’s most affluent towns have increased to such an extent that action had to be taken to tackle the issue.

Bradford Council launched a public consultation on Ilkley’s new parking measures after a motion to the authority was approved in October to review the scheme.

The new consultation gives residents, commuters and workers as well as shoppers and business owners the opportunity to help shape the new parking scheme and suggest improvements.

The council’s portfolio holder for regeneration, planning and transport, Coun Alex Ross-Shaw, said: “The parking scheme in Ilkley was introduced to address long standing problems people experienced with parking throughout the town.

“This had been happening for many years and got to the point where doing nothing was not an option.

“We always said we would review the detail once the scheme had time to bed in.

“We’ve already made various amendments such as re-allocating permits to pay and display areas and will use this consultation to help shape future amendments in the New Year.”

The consultation offers a range of options which people can rate and then comment on.

Among the proposals are extending the free 30-minute period of parking to 60 minutes, while the maximum stay could be increased from two to three or four hours.

Respondents are being asked to identify any particular areas of concern and whether staff permits should be retained in any new plans.

The announcement comes in the wake of a meeting which was held last week between Ilkley’s district councillors and Bradford Council officers to discuss parking in the town.

All three of the town’s councillors, Coun Anne Hawkesworth, Coun Kyle Green and Coun Mike Gibbons, called on the authority to consult with the public and bring in major changes.

More details on the new consultation, which is set to close on January 11, are available online at www.bradford.gov.uk/consultations.