A Shepway Parking Strategy Response: Free permits for local residents. Free short term on-street and off-street parking. Cheaper, fuller car parks.

The new Shepway Parking consultation is out, and is causing a great deal of angst for local residents and businesses who don't see any benefit to them in the proposals, but fear another Shepway tax grab.

Although there are areas with real parking problems at the moment we don't understand why Shepway are considering imposing a "solution" to parking issues in areas where few people think it exists. It seems the wrong time, and could hurt local businesses very badly. Where there is a specific local call to change current parking arrangements, Shepway Council should have a way of supporting it, and a way of introducing CPZs if called for by the majority of people in that community. To impose changes without support is the wrong approach.

If a new CPZ is to be created in any area, there should be a free parking permit for each council tax registered household in the area, and then the opportunity to buy more. The Lib Dems proposed one free parking permit per household when the Folkestone West CPZ was introduced (http://shepwaylibdems.org.uk/en/article/2009/030708/shepway-consult-on-controlled-parking-zone-near-folkestone-west-25-resident-parking-permits-proposed) - which naturally the local Conservatives voted against and imposed a £25 per permit fee. Where residents permits are now being proposed, a free permit per household (with the opportunity to buy more) would be massively fairer to households where they have no alternative parking (like their own driveways / garages).

Also, if Shepway are serious about getting parking turnover on streets rather than making money, then you should be able to park free for (say) the first half-hour or hour (depending on the area), or longer with a permit.

On the positive side, Shepway have finally acknowledged something we've been telling them for ages (http://shepwaylibdems.org.uk/en/article/2010/031137/under-10-used-sandgate-parking-charges-income-flops-but-hurts-business-and-residents) - Shepway Car Parks are massively underused in many areas, as the high fees are deterring them from being used.

Car Parks that are 90% empty on average are 90% useless - they are not helping relieve on-street congestion, they are not helping local businesses, and they are not helping local residents. There are proposals to cut car park fees and to price them more flexibly across the district, rather than "one price fits all" - that is a good thing.

It would be possible to hold local referendums across the area on the parking proposals, but what would they achieve at this stage apart from costing council taxpayers money? Parish polls and not binding on Shepway Council, and until there are concrete proposals in place following the consultation, we are looking at an ill defined scheme covering a number of areas.

You need detail on specific proposals for specific areas before a vote would be meaningful - and some areas may support a CPZ in some roads, and not others. To rubbish the whole idea without knowing the specifics is putting the cart before the horse.

The Lib Dems are willing to listen and if the Council is prepared to make changes to their proposals, we could have a sensible discussion about how to get the most out of the parking available locally. Free permits for local residents. Free short term on-street and off-street parking. Revised fees to get our car parks working for us, rather than standing empty.