Opposition to car park charges among petitions lodged with council

Nicholas Thomas Local Democracy Reporter

A 2,500-strong petition against higher car park charges has been lodged with a Welsh local authority.

Caerphilly County Borough Council introduced price increases and tariff changes earlier in November.

Drivers using council car parks now have to pay 10p more for a two-hour stay, and no longer have the option to buy one- or three-hour tickets.

Cllr Kevin Etheridge said the petition, organised by a cafe owner in his Blackwood ward, asked the council to make parking free for the first hour in its car parks.

The petitioners also called for there to be no car park price increases in the next financial year.

Commenting previously on the higher parking fees, the council said it wanted to “simplify” charges, and its tariff changes would “aim to encourage longer visits and could help boost footfall and income to support council services”.

But ahead of their introduction on November 10, the new rates were criticised by Cllr Nigel Dix, another Blackwood representative, who raised concerns about their impact on high street footfall.

The appeal was one of four Cllr Etheridge submitted to the local authority at a recent meeting.

He also presented a petition calling for an overgrown BMX track near Wesley Road to be restored, and one which he said raised concerns about the local authority’s charter for the borough’s town and community councils.

But Cllr Elaine Forehead and Cllr Eluned Stenner said the latter petition had not come before their community councils of Van and New Tredegar, respectively.

The fourth petition, said Cllr Etheridge, was in opposition to a proposed HMO (house in multiple occupation) in Blackwood’s Albany Road.

That application was approved the following day at a meeting of the council’s planning committee.

The various petitions will now be handed over to the relevant council departments for consideration.

Under its constitution, the council must ensure there is appropriate consultation with the public, ward representatives and the relevant cabinet members about any proposed action.

It must also make sure there is “appropriate and timely feedback” to the lead petitioners and the councillor who presented the petitions, regarding any progress in dealing with the petitions, and any final council decisions on those matters.