Parking "concessions" are being considered

Powys County Council is considering options for car parking charges in Newtown and throughout the county, it has emerged.

It follows a call by Newtown’s Mayor, Cllr David Selby, and the Liberal Democrat and Green group leader on the county council, James Gibson-Watt, to allow free parking after businesses re-opened this week.

They urged the council to provide free parking at a time when town centre retailers would need shoppers the most.

And with less on-street parking available due to social distancing measures, councillors have said the need for free parking was more so.

In response, Environment portfolio holder Councillor Heulwen Hulme, said: “A flexible approach is vital, with the need to take account of the varying situations and demands in each of our towns as the lockdown restrictions are relaxed.”

“A certain amount of on-street parking will inevitably be lost in order to safely accommodate shoppers, and importantly to allow businesses to operate within the current government guidelines.

“We are currently assessing the impact of any parking changes and any concessions which may be beneficial to supporting the economy.”

She also encouraged less use of cars for local journeys and believed more use of walking and cycling should take place.

 

By MyNewtown and Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporting Service