The threat of charges at a number of council-run car parks in Bristol has been lifted after councillors voted against plans to bring in a pay-and display system.
The 5-4 decision at the transport and connectivity policy committee means the city council will have to find other ways to make up the £276,000 a year it spends to keep district car parks free.
The vote has been particularly welcomed in Westbury-on-Trym, where many locals had raised concerns about how £1-an-hour charges at the Westbury Hill car park would affect local businesses as well as users of the neighbouring health centre and churches.
The committee also voted down a bid to end the 30-minute free parking offered in all Residents Parking Scheme areas and decided to increase RPS fees.
The proposals were all part of a package of transport measures considered by the committee at its meeting on September 12. Members agreed to begin looking at the introduction of a workplace parking levy, as well as investigating pavement parking and supported bus services. They also supported plans to develop a new Regional Cycling Hub in Lawrence Weston
Westbury Hill is one of 10 free car parks across the city, which would have become pay and display. Liberal Democrat Cllr Caroline Gooch, representing Westbury, told the meeting: “The car park in Westbury-on-Trym serves the doctor’s surgery. It would be the only surgery where people have to pay to attend, were it to be implemented. It also serves two churches and a community centre, with lots of community groups attended by children, the elderly and the lonely.
“Most churches and community centres have their own parking. But in Westbury-on-Trym, both the churches and the community centre, and the doctors and the pharmacy all use this particular car park. We’re worried about moving parking over onto the street, or people deciding to shop elsewhere. Cribbs Causeway is only six minutes away, and Aldi and Lidl are close by.”
The charges at district car parks were initially proposed by the Labour administration in February this year, before the local elections in May when they lost power to the Greens. Labour were persuaded by the Conservatives to defer the introduction of the proposed charges for a year, and in return the Tories voted to support the rest of the administration’s budget proposals.
The other car parks that would have been affected are: Beechwood Road in Frome Vale; Callington Road and Repton Road in Brislington; Chalks Road and Derby Street in St George; Ducie Road in Lawrence Hill; Machin Road in Henbury; Stoke View Road in Eastville; and Waverley Road in Shirehampton.
Many members of the public wrote to the committee opposing the proposed increases. The majority of these were specifically about the Westbury Hill car park.
Speaking to the committee, Steve Smith, a former Conservative councillor for Westbury, said: “You have before you 54 statements that have come from residents, businesses, churches, the health centre, voluntary organisations, community groups, current councillors and former councillors. Not one of them thinks this will provide a benefit.
“Every single one describes the damage this will cause to Westbury village.”
The four Green councillors on the committee supported the charges but were defeated by the five members of other parties.
Afterwards, Green group leader Cllr Emma Edwards said the decision showed the value of the democratic committee system.
“I am in favour of exploring all options that can reduce congestion, improve air quality and raise money to improve transport for everyone in our city, so I’m disappointed that some of these changes were not passed. However, as I have said before, no one party has a monopoly on good ideas and that’s exactly what the committee system aims to utilise.”
Meeting report by Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service