I propose that we should have 2 days of free parking in all car parks to include a Wednesday for the market traders, and 1 other day (probably a Sunday)

This would see more people willing to come into town and to use the facilities here and to help maintain the life of the town. At the very least, the West Suffolk Council should consider

WEDNESDAY (MARKET DAY) & SUNDAY

Making all car parks free for 2 days, but setting a time limit for how long a car can stay.

Using the arc car park. being closest to the town centre, a maximum of 3 hours stay.

OTHER DAYS

Giving retail staff who do not live in the grid area, concessionary pricing to use the long term car parks.

convert parkway ground to same as St Andrews, so you can stay as long as you like on sliding scale

Free from 6pm to 8am every day

ALTERNATIVELY

Keep Free From 3 on Tuesdays at the arc and implement Wednesday morning free parking with no extensions after 12 and no return within 2 hours

 

In these times of struggling High Streets, with pressure being put upon local businesses of high business rates (as set by central government), and high rents, increasing charges for parking would be detrimental to the businesses and success of the town.

We want Bury St Edmunds and its businesses to become more successful and stronger because we believe in what we have and do not wish to lose it. We want our town to prosper and to stop the West Suffolk Council wasting money on projects such as the Western Way Development (£100,000 for research alone) and to concentrate on helping the keeping the town businesses thrive.

It has been reported today that an Overview and Scrutiny Committee led by David Nettleton is seeking to scrap "Free From 3", the free parking available after 3 pm on a Tuesday and they are recommending parking charges be hiked across the town in order to generate an additional income of more than £300,000.

It has already been reported that free parking in Mildenhall has been instrumental in keeping local businesses trading, so why not Bury St Edmunds?

I propose that we should have 2 days of free parking in all car parks to include a Wednesday for the market traders, and 1 other day.

During the period 2018-2019, West Suffolk Council made nearly £2,000,000 surplus on the car parks for this district. Surely, then, they have the capacity to extend 2 free days parking to the whole district, including Brandon, Clare, Haverhill, Mildenhall, and Newmarket as well. See this pdf on their own website. https://t.co/gjA7jEaCs8?amp=1