LISKEARD’S newly-elected Cornwall Councillors have added their voices to the Cornish Times campaign to see free parking extended.

Jane Pascoe and Nick Craker, along with David Ambler of the Town Forum, have always been vocal about the benefits that concessions would bring to both traders and shoppers.

In November, David wrote to the then portfolio holder for Transport to request that support be given to local businesses re-opening from the second lockdown, through a waiving of the charges for parking in Liskeard.

This was not granted but when the UK went into a third lockdown in January, the local authority once again suspended parking fees, as it had earlier in the pandemic, to help efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus and to support residents.

Support

The free parking in Cornwall Council car parks is set to come to an end on Monday (May 17), in line with the ‘roadmap’ of restrictions easing.

The Cornish Times feels that the support offered to residents – and local businesses – should be extended as we enter a period of rebuilding and recovery in our town centres.

Councillor Jane Pascoe says that she and Cllr Nick Craker agree. “We’re delighted to back this campaign.

“I think it’s vital that we extend, in some way, the concessions for parking. I would stand up for that and I have all the way along.

“We need to encourage people to come into town and spend money with our businesses. They are going to take years to recover.

“Make people feel they want to come to town rather than to the out-of-town places. And we do know parking is always a bugbear, not just for the cost, but for the inconvenience of finding change and so on.

“Anything we can do to encourage people back into our working towns is vital at this moment.”

David Ambler, who is chair of the Liskeard Town Forum, said that the issue of parking would be sure to be a matter for discussion when the Forum meets again face-to-face soon.

“As we come out of lock-down, maintaining free parking would be hugely beneficial to our high streets, as appears evident from the recent lockdown, when parking charges have been dropped and our car parks appear very busy,” he said.

“I feel I reflect the views of the forum in wanting to see a fairer implementation in general of car-parking charges across Liskeard.

“During our last meeting before lockdown, the Forum noted how out-of-town parking is free for at least two hours, and the need for in-town parking charges to take into account the damaging decline in footfall to our high streets.

“We hope that the new administration will work with local communities to develop a parking model that works with Liskeard residents and businesses. 

“Liskeard Town Forum looks forward to working with the new administrations at Cornwall Council and Liskeard Town Council.”

Let us know what you think - is free parking of benefit to traders and residents? Or do we need a different system? Get in touch on [email protected]