East Cambridgeshire District Council

Rapid progress is being made on the future of parking in Ely following a meeting of the Council’s Car Parking Working Group.

At their last meeting, it was decided to progress with proposals to look at the issues and costs of providing off street car parking in the city.

Discussions will now be taking place with the County Council regarding the acceptance of Civil Parking Enforcement, on-street car parking proposals including residents permit  schemes and plans which can be progressed to be included in the Council’s budget process for 2011/12.

The cross party Group, after visiting car parks throughout the city, also agreed in principle to short stay car parking in Fore Hill and Newnham Street and maintaining long stay parking at Barton Road.

Cllr Fred Brown, Leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “In the short time the working group has been in operation it has been clear that there is a chronic shortage of spaces in our car parks and we need to generate income to offset their costs. This is a challenge which becomes even more important as we, along with all local authorities face increased financial pressures ahead of the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review in October.

“To run and maintain our car parks costs the authority £400,000 a year – in these difficult economic times this is a burden we can no longer fully absorb. So over the next two months, we will be working on plans to see how we can progress our proposals to generate income and ensure spaces are available for those who live, work and visit Ely. It has been encouraging to see that this work has been cross party – it has been good to work in coalition to tackle our district’s problems and I am sure the next few months will see the fruition of this.”

Cllr Steve Criswell, Cabinet Member for Customer Service and Transformation at Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “At the County, we are considering carefully the implications of moving forward with Civil Parking Enforcement across the county. Currently we are seeking feedback from the District Councils, so it is encouraging to hear East Cambridgeshire has progressed so far. Later this summer, we will be looking at the responses we have had and the finances at our disposal ahead of a Cabinet meeting in the autumn.”

ENDS

Notes for editors:

For further information contact Tony Taylorson in the Communications Team on 01223 699285.

Political Contacts: Cllr Fred Brown (Con) 07824 472070, Cambridgeshire County Councillor Steve Criswell (Con) 01487 740745 and Cllr Ian Allen (Lib Dem) 01353 664993