Drivers' blockade fury at parking fees
Mar 22 2006
By Roland Hughes,
Daily Post
ANGRY car owners last night blocked off a major road in protest against charges for parking.
Parking charges across Denbighshire are to be brought up to the same level, with a £65 annual cost for long-term users.
But residents of Corwen, who rely on free parking in the town centre, are angry they will be made to pay to park.
One dad claimed the £65 annual charge - equivalent to £1.25 a week - was an extra tax on car owners.
Protesters brought a section of the busy A5 road in Corwen to a standstill with their cars just after 6pm yesterday.
Plans approved by Denbighshire's environment scrutiny committee in January brought all council-owned car park costs in the county up to the same level.
Parking will now cost up to 40p an hour in every town, similar to other counties in North Wales.
Three car parks in Corwen - near the A5 in the centre, off Green Lane, and what is known as the Pavilion car park - will have charges,, having previously been free.
Residents say they will have nowhere to park cars free.
More than 70 cars parked on both
sides of the A5 passing through Corwen last night, making it virtually impossible for traffic to pass for more than half an hour.
Dad-of-four Andy Ballard, a Tesco lorry driver, led the protest.
Mr Ballard, 47, who is also a retained firefighter, said: "If you put car parking charges here, the majority of people will have nowhere else to go. These are the only places we can go.
"It's the equivalent of slapping a £65 increase on our council tax.
"It is a deprived area, and businesses are struggling. Everybody you speak to says it is an absolutely ridiculous thing to do and that it will kill the town.
"If you have family coming to visit, they will have to pay a parking fee.
"It's not fair for us or anyone." Councillor Eryl Williams, lead cabinet member for environment, said the charges would ensure "fair play throughout the county."
He added: "At the end of the day, these charges will result in everyone being treated the same throughout the county and extra income coming in which can be used to fund services."
Denbighshire officials believe the new charges will bring an extra £125,000 a year.
By Roland Hughes,
Daily Post
ANGRY car owners last night blocked off a major road in protest against charges for parking.
Parking charges across Denbighshire are to be brought up to the same level, with a £65 annual cost for long-term users.
But residents of Corwen, who rely on free parking in the town centre, are angry they will be made to pay to park.
One dad claimed the £65 annual charge - equivalent to £1.25 a week - was an extra tax on car owners.
Protesters brought a section of the busy A5 road in Corwen to a standstill with their cars just after 6pm yesterday.
Plans approved by Denbighshire's environment scrutiny committee in January brought all council-owned car park costs in the county up to the same level.
Parking will now cost up to 40p an hour in every town, similar to other counties in North Wales.
Three car parks in Corwen - near the A5 in the centre, off Green Lane, and what is known as the Pavilion car park - will have charges,, having previously been free.
Residents say they will have nowhere to park cars free.
More than 70 cars parked on both
sides of the A5 passing through Corwen last night, making it virtually impossible for traffic to pass for more than half an hour.
Dad-of-four Andy Ballard, a Tesco lorry driver, led the protest.
Mr Ballard, 47, who is also a retained firefighter, said: "If you put car parking charges here, the majority of people will have nowhere else to go. These are the only places we can go.
"It's the equivalent of slapping a £65 increase on our council tax.
"It is a deprived area, and businesses are struggling. Everybody you speak to says it is an absolutely ridiculous thing to do and that it will kill the town.
"If you have family coming to visit, they will have to pay a parking fee.
"It's not fair for us or anyone." Councillor Eryl Williams, lead cabinet member for environment, said the charges would ensure "fair play throughout the county."
He added: "At the end of the day, these charges will result in everyone being treated the same throughout the county and extra income coming in which can be used to fund services."
Denbighshire officials believe the new charges will bring an extra £125,000 a year.
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