A READING resident has warned that there could be ‘disastrous’ effects for shops in Tilehurst following parking fee concerns.
It comes after the scrapping of the 30 minutes of free parking at two car parks in the area by the council’s portfolio holder for transport.
The car parks at Dunstall Close and Recreation Road were free to park in for up to 30 minutes on weekdays, with calls for the snow-scrapped initiative to be reinstated.
Liberal Democrat councillors in the ward have also put forward that no Tilehurst councillors were consulted before the changes were made, and have launched a petition to reverse the move.
Jill Roache explained that she was among a number of other residents visiting a councillor surgery in the ward to raise the issue of parking fees.
She explained: “Shops are suffering, because there is no more 30 minute free parking and you have to pay £1.00 even if you are just collecting a prescription.
“Many residents are in the older range and need cars, but this will certainly stop people coming to Tilehurst.”
She described council assertions that price rises would fund maintenance of the car parks as “nonsense.”
Meri O’Connell, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats on Reading Borough Council and Tilehurst cllr, said: “Labour have reached a new low with this one.
“The free half-hour window was a hard-fought win for the Lib Dems back when I first started out on the council twelve years ago.
“Since then, local businesses have told us it’s been a lifeline that’s helped keep the village centre thriving.”
She explained: “This latest change comes just as footfall is picking up again after the double whammy of Covid-19 and the closure of all Tilehurst’s banks and building societies.
“It’s a hammer blow to local businesses and our community as a whole.
“For this to be done without any vote or even the courtesy of discussing with local councillors, is an absolute disgrace.
She continued: “I assume they knew we’d oppose it, which is why they snuck it in behind closed doors.
“We’re glad to see the free half hour is still there on weekends, but this awful decision needs to be reversed and the discussion needs to be had.”
“Tilehurst residents deserve better than this, and frankly, we know Labour can do better. We’ve been fighting for a fair deal for Tilehurst for many a long year now– and we’ve won on this before.
“Labour clearly think there’s a case for this change: they should have the courage of their convictions and put it to residents and councillors, rather than hiding behind bureaucracy.
“I hope everyone affected by this change signs our petition to overturn it.”
Conservative councillors said they “fully support” residents who opposed the decision, arguing that it benefits residents and businesses.
They explained that they “have yet to find any level of support” for the change, and that the likelihood of drivers journeying further afield for free parking was “The message they should be putting out in the declared climate emergency.”
Conservative parliamentary candidate for Reading West and mid Berkshire Ross MacKinnon said: “This free parking is essential for the local residents and businesses. This decision shows how little the Labour administration consider the views of local people”
Ben Blackmore, Conservative candidate for Tilehurst in the upcoming council elections, said: “Tilehurst is the last bulwark of a truly integrated community in Reading. I’m shocked by this decision.
“In Reading we pay one of Betkshire’s higher council taxes and still the council want to take more money from our pockets.
“Yet again the Labour Council has imposed the maximum 5% increase on residents.”
He explained: “It was only the Conservative councillors who opposed this increase–I stand with all the residents and businesses who oppose this decision.”
A statement from Reading Borough Council explained that:“While we appreciate increases in car parking charges are never welcome, the decision was made in the context of the Council freezing its parking fees since the period of the Covid pandemic.
“The cost of providing car park facilities and maintenance of those car parks has also risen significantly, as a result of rising inflation.
It continued: “In some instances, income from Council car parks does not cover the costs involved in running them, such as lighting, providing pay and display machines, maintaining surfaces, re-lining etc.
“Set against the backdrop of every Council experiencing budget pressures because of the increased costs of providing services, we could not maintain and improve car park facilities without further investment.”
