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Flintshire’s residents to be consulted over car parks

Published: 09/03/2015

Parking measures and enforcement are key tools in managing an effective highway network and helping to avoid congestion. In order to maintain the vibrancy and vitality of a community/ town it is essential to effectively manage off street parking usage. The Authority is looking to provide a consistent approach to off-street parking through the expansion of pay and display which will be adapted to suit the needs of all local communities which offer a car parking provision of 40 spaces or more. Through setting an effective pricing structure and tariff, charging has proved to be a mechanism to encourage commuters to utilise the car parks on the periphery of the town and community centres, whilst promoting town centre proximity spaces for short stay shoppers and visitors in support of commercial viability. A total of ten local strategies are being developed for 44 car parks. These apply in the following areas of the County: Flint Holywell Mold Buckley Connah’s Quay Queensferry Shotton Caergwrle Hawarden Talacre Each local strategy will look to prioritise the needs of disabled people, local residents, businesses and their customers, and promote more sustainable travel choices through the availability and effective costing of car parking. A workplace parking permit scheme will also be introduced for employee parking areas in Mold (County Hall) and Flint. These are car parks designated within the local Car Park management arrangements and permits will be required by both employees and Councillors working and regularly visiting these buildings. Full details of the strategies, including the charges proposed, can be found on the Council’s website, along with a link to the survey. Flintshire’s residents are being invited to share their views on the proposals to introduce charging for town and community car parks in the county. Consultation is now underway, with County Councillors, Town and Community Councils and, from today (Monday 9 March), members of the public are being invited to share their views on aspects of the new strategy. Details of the consultation can also be found on the Council’s website. Councillor Bernie Attridge, Cabinet Member for Environment and Deputy Leader, said: The review of car parking charges is one of the many proposals under consideration as part of our challenge to find efficiencies in the order of £18 +m in the coming financial year. The proposal to introduce parking charges at car parks across the County was agreed as part of the budget setting proposals. The consultation process is now underway and people have until March 29 to have their say, before the Councils Cabinet considers a report on the car parking strategy in April 2015.