Appeal to suspend parking shake-up

CONTROVERSIAL parking restrictions in Royton should be suspended until a full consultation exercise takes place, a meeting of business owners heard.

The meeting attracted a large turnout and council officers were quizzed over what businesses claim was a lack of consultation, why only market traders are getting parking permits and the overall reasons for restrictions.

During a heated debate, Councillor Steven Bashforth agreed to write to Councillor John McCann, Cabinet member for regeneration and environment, to request parking restrictions are suspended until a full consultation is carried out — ideally in conjunction with parking proposals for the new health and wellbeing centre.

Councillor Bashforth said: “I’ve spoken to some businesses and will be speaking to more — they feel they were not properly consulted on the scheme.

“John McCann is a reasonable man so hopefully he will see that a full consultation is needed and it doesn’t matter if it takes two months, let’s get it right.

“I have also asked that each business is given two parking permits to alleviate some of the problems.”

Pete Wright, who owns the Village Chippy, said his takings on Monday were down 15 per cent on a week earlier and he could only attribute that to the parking restrictions — which allow only two or three-hour free stays in selected car parks.

He said: “I understand there is a covenant on the car park whereby those from the Methodist church and the shopkeepers can use the car park free, but a council officer said she wanted to see proof in writing of that.”

The meeting heard that the original consultation for the restrictions happened in 2009 when over 90 people raised concerns.

Slight changes were made to the proposals, but since those plans, the health centre has moved to Park Street and some of the banks and other businesses have closed down.

The meeting was also told that traffic wardens who leafleted people about the changes received positive feedback from those spoken to in Royton centre.

Craig Simpson, from Sparkles Adventure Play, said: “It’s just a flawed consultation. The leaflets being handed out say that local businesses have been written to — they haven’t.”

Paul Young, who runs the iRoyton community news website and arranged the meeting, said: “Ironically we all came out of the meeting with parking ticket style leaflets attached to our windscreens telling us all about the new restrictions — we were only in there from 7 until 9pm!”