‘Parking charges have not had adverse effect on town’
COUNCIL bosses have refuted a suggestion that Ashbourne’s high parking fees are putting shoppers off visiting the town.
In a report to councillors ahead of a meeting tomorrow to discuss increasing parking charges by around 13%, Derbyshire Dales District Council’s head of community and environmental services, Ashley Watts, responded to public criticism over the proposed price hike and insisted footfall in Ashbourne is healthy.
One letter to the council, sent in during a public consultation, suggested the town’s parking was “not customer friendly” and that other recent decisions such as closing public toilets and charging for the last remaining toilet block was putting off tourists and leading to the closure of business in Ashbourne.
Responding to the comments, which also cited high rents and rates beyond the council’s control among factors putting people off, Mr Watts insisted Ashbourne still had sufficient appeal to justify parking price increases.
He wrote: “There are numerous studies relating to the decline of the traditional high street, with high rents and business rates certainly being cited as principle factors affecting high-street traders.
“Other key factors cited are the shift to online shopping and consumer demand for more sociable high street pursuits, such as cafes, restaurants, and beauty salons.
“Constraints on consumers’ disposable income are similarly cited, though recent figures for car parks usage would indicate town centre footfall remains high, suggesting that parking charges have not, in recent years, had an adverse effect on visitor numbers to the Derbyshire Dales.”
Another respondent commented that the proposed increase in charges would be a “crushing blow”, especially alongside the new 20p charge for the use of toilets.
The local resident pointed out Ashbourne’s prices were already higher than those in neighbouring towns such as Leek, Belper, Buxton and Uttoxeter, prompting locals to shop elsewhere.
Mr Watts responded to this suggestion by referring to a table of price comparisons with other towns. Of the chosen selection of 42, Derbyshire Dales was ranked 18th after the price increase, and 14th before.
However, the table only compares the district’s parking charges with local authority-run “hot spots”, and does not take into account average parking fees across the districts, boroughs or towns.
Mr Watts also reminded councillors that residents in the Dales are given a free concession to park between 4pm and 11am every day.
The parking price increase will be the first for four years and would, if voted in by councillors on the community and environment committee tomorrow, see the one-hour parking fee rise from £1.30 to £1.50.
Two hours would cost £2.50, up from £2.20 and three hours would rise from £3.30 to £3.80. Four hours would rise to £5 from £4.40 and a day rate would increase by 50p to £6. Coaches would be charged an extra 50p, paying £5.50 after the proposed increase.
The public meeting is due to take place at 6pm at the Town Hall in Matlock.