Holbeach campaigner sets up petition to fight South Holland District Council plan to axe free car parking

Plans to axe free car parking provision have been branded ‘ridiculous’ by residents who are now fighting against increased charges.

Amanda Cook has launched a petition in a bid to get South Holland District Council to change its mind over a scheme to remove the free parking from its Boston Road South site in Holbeach, where a £1 fee would be introduced for a two-hour stay.

Currently the car park provides two hours free parking, which was used by shoppers, parents picking up children from school and patients visiting the Park Road Surgery – but these people would be forced to pay once the new charges are introduced.

The district council is increasing parking charges – including in Spalding – and putting up fees for its other services in order to raise more money. Assets and planning porfolio holder Henry Bingham told the last full council meeting that the authority is looking to invest in its car parks and will be keeping the charges under review but also stated that Holbeach has an ‘abundance’ of free parking.

Mrs Cook feels the changes will create congestion around free spaces and could put people off from visiting.

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She said: “We need to encourage people to come to Holbeach – not discourage them.

“They are trying to regenerate the town but taking away free parking is ridiculous.

“We would request that the council would listen to the voice of Holbeach and look at the petition and reconsider – or at least give us an hour of free parking.”

Mrs Cook fears that people who would normally use the Boston Road South car park for pick-ups or doctors visits will instead look for a free space in the Tesco or Boyes car park, increasing congestion in that area. She also feels motorists will use the busy Park Road and Park Lane areas and worries about the impact on the town’s market – which is based in the Boston Road South car park – and shops.

Mrs Cook said: “With the loss of free parking people are going to be put off and drive to Spalding or Long Sutton.”

Holbeach trader Sam Bailey is also concerned about the plan.

She argues that the current arrangement is ‘extremely fair and affordable’ given that the car park has been left to ‘rack and ruin’.

She said: “People who work in Holbeach and need somewhere to park all day can do so by parking here and not having to pay a fortune so this is another great asset. Unfortunately the barriers do close so late workers do struggle.

“However, by removing the free parking element which is currently in place I feel this may have a detrimental effect on the footfall and some small businesses. Like many others have said there are quite a few who use it for work commitments, carers need to collect/drop off prescriptions and then parents collect their children from schools rather than build up the already congested roads.

“There are no school patrols at either of our junior schools right now so if more traffic was pushed into those areas it could make it even more dangerous. Of course people will say " parents should walk" but we are a rural area with oversubscribed schools so some parents have no choice but to drive to get their children to school.

“These parents will now be looking at £10 a week, £40 a month which is a considerable amount especially with the economy as it is right now.”

She questioned where the ‘abundance of free parking’ in the town actually is and added: “Even if they had 30 mins free parking and then raised the other end to say £2/3 all day, I think this would have been much better received by the residents of Holbeach.”

Mrs Cook is planning to present her petition, which already has more than 100 signatures, to the district council.

To see the petition, visit: www.change.org/p/demand-south-holland-district-council-reconsider-increased-parking-charges

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