21 Mar 2024
Retailers have condemned plans to scrap free parking bays across the district as part of a major review by SADC.
As revealed in last week’s St Albans Times, the council wants to examine the provision of on-street car parking across the district, and decide whether it is sustainable to continue to allow free parking in bays given the high level of demand and resulting pressure on places.
Free car parks in Redbourn, Park Street and London Colney, and one and two hour bays across Harpenden town centre will all incur charges should the proposals go ahead.
According to a report made to Full Council ahead of the approval of this year’s budget, scrapping free parking bays and installing new signage would cost £40,000, but could bring in approximately £185K for 2024/25 and almost £268K in subsequent years. Charging for free car parks would bring in £14,300 for the next financial year, and £66K per annum going forwards.
Harpenden retailers said our story was the first they had heard about the plans, insisting it would have a detrimental impact on their businesses if they went ahead.
Mary Durkin, from gifts and home furnishings store Serena Hart, said: “This is the first I’ve heard of it!
“There have been various schemes talked about over the years, none of which have got off the ground, but that’s not to say this one won’t.
“From a retailers’ point of view, I think Harpenden needs to encourage people to shop local and imposing a fee for parking will, I believe act as a deterrent.
“Let’s not forget that very shortly there will be a huge new retail park, less than three miles away, so let’s hang on to our local shoppers and let them park for free.”
Fiona Thomas, who runs Oui store in Bowers Parade, was also unaware of the proposals until she heard about them in the St Albans Times.
She said: “The free parking bays allow people to drop off goods at the local charity shops, and then pop in and pick something from us they might have seen in the window. They’re unlikely to do that if they have to pay to park for the privilege.
“We also have three schools in the centre of Harpenden, and scrapping free parking is going to have a huge impact on parents dropping off and picking up their children each day.”
Sara Freegard, manager of Clarendon Fine Art, said: “It will certainly be inconvenient, I find clients pop in for half an hour and leave, especially if taking a piece of artwork home.
“I’m sure it will affect the High Street in a negative way, as people don’t hang around for hours in our High Street! If they do, they park in the car parks available. It’s a money maker for the council.”
Lara Wares, from award-winning independent gift shop Threads, said: “Scrapping free parking in Harpenden would be a major, possibly catastrophic, blow to the High Street. It has been demonstrated, time and time again, that whenever the Lower High Street is closed to cars and the free on-street parking is therefore temporary lost, that footfall drops dramatically, in the region of 35 per cent.
“Additionally we hear from customers every day that they find Harpenden car parks prohibitively expensive so the suggestion that on-street parking is charged an even higher rates is outrageous, particularly in a cost of living crisis.
“With all the pressures that local businesses have faced over the last few years, I’m absolutely astounded that our council, who surely should be acting in the interest of the town, would even consider damaging the High Street in this way.”
Meanwhile the Harpenden Society said the loss of free parking in the centre of Harpenden needs to be carefully examined, with potential damage to local business and further congested side roads.
The Society has been aware of the overall transport issues in Harpenden for some considerable time and last summer commissioned the University of Hertfordshire to produce a report looking into all the road transport issues that the town faces, including parking. Published in the autumn it was seen as a guide for the creation of a Transport Forum partnering with Harpenden Town Council and town politicians to investigate further and take actions.
Society chair Jeff Phillips said: “We need to understand the statement from SADC more fully, consider the consequences and make recommendations. These can then be submitted for inclusion in the public consultation which will give all residents the chance to air their views.”
Conservative Parliamentary candidate for St Albans, James Spencer, has been looking into the impact of the proposals in London Colney and Park Street, and said: “It is entirely wrong that the council is passing the cost of its mistakes onto residents by hiking up parking fees across the district. It should not be up to local residents to bankroll the Lib Dems’ financial incompetence.”
Following publicity about the on-street parking review, SADC has now said they will be looking at the possibility of retaining free parking at bays in some form.
The council will be starting consultations on the proposals in May. The length of time the district-wide review will take will depend on a number of factors including the level of the response to the consultations.
A spokesperson said: “Among other things, the review will be looking at how free bays operate and we will be consider several options. This includes retaining free parking for a limited time near shops and essential services to support residents and businesses. We will be carrying out both informal and formal consultations with businesses, residents and visitors when they can raise any issues with us.”
