ePetition - Keep the Free Customer Parking in Preston Drove and Ditchling Road, Fiveways

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ePetition details

Keep the Free Customer Parking in Preston Drove and Ditchling Road, Fiveways

We the undersigned petition Brighton & Hove Council to overturn the decision to Change the 1 hour free parking on Preston Drove and Ditchling Road, back in to Pay and Display parking. We believe that retaining the 1 hour free parking for customers, will encourage shoppers continue to support local shops, already suffering after a year of Covid 19 related closures.

Original Introduction of Pay & Display parking in 2015 on Preston Drove had a significant & detrimental impact on trade for all businesses in the area.

The current free parking was instated after our original petition to the Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee, March 2015.

We would like the parking to stay as it is: 1 hour free parking, no return for 2 hours.

Whilst we understand that the council faces numerous financial challenges, we do not believe that retaining the limited free spaces on Preston Drove and Ditchling Road, would have a significant impact on income for the council, and would be extremely damaging to the local area and businesses, which would be damaging to the city, the local area and the vibrancy and diversity of shopping for local people.

This ePetition ran from 25/06/2021 to 20/09/2021 and has now finished.

650 people signed this ePetition.

Council response

The changes in free parking to paid parking were agreed following initial discussions at a number of Policy & Resources (P&R) Committee in late 2020 / early 2021. This was then approved by the members of the Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee on 19th Jan 21 and ultimately at Full Budget Council on 25th Feb 21. This was all part of the Council’s budget saving proposals for the financial year 21/22 and from a parking perspective involved over 200 different charging proposals which involves changes needed to all machines throughout the City and the IT system for PaybyPhone.

We do appreciate that any increase in parking charges can be challenging for all concerned and none of us enjoy having to increase parking charges across the city. As a Council we have had to make significant savings for the current 21/22 financial year and these changes were introduced to ensure there is better enforcement of these bays to allow more short term parking to support local businesses.

 


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