The Bowring Park Car Park off Herbert Avenue is kept locked by Telford and Wrekin Council, except when the Changing Rooms are in use. Due to the increased number of visitors to the Park there is pressure on local car parking. The Council has responded to this by creating a car parking area behind the Tennis Courts. Unfortunately access is via the Cafe, creating a dangerous pinch point with cars and pedestrians and people queuing for the Cafe. If this car park area if full, which you only find out once you have entered it, most cars have to reverse out, because it is not big enough to turn around in, creating an additional hazard.

There is a purpose built Car Park into the Park off Herbert Avenue which the Council refuse to unlock despite a Public Petition in 2020 calling for it to be opened. The reasons given by the Council for rejecting the Petition to open this Car Park for public use was that there was an Agreement with Neighbours that it would only be opened when the Changing Rooms were in use and if it was opened to the public, players would not be able to park there.

Further investigations by the petitioners, including a Freedom of Information Act enquiry revealed that no written Agreement with Neighbours exists. Planning permission would have been required when the Changing Rooms and Car Park were built, around 1960 and any objections could have been made a condition of planning - but they were not. On the days that the Changing Rooms are booked a sign could be put out saying "Players Only" to deter anyone else from parking then.

Common sense dictates that the Herbert Avenue Car Park should be opened to Park visitors which would also mitigate the risk of parking around the back of the Tennis Courts. In addition offers have been made to lock and unlock this Car Park during daylight hours, reducing the risk of anti social behaviour at night. This would be a sensible compromise to reduce neighbour's concerns.

There is increasing public concern about why this Car Park is kept locked, creating a barrier for visitors to the Park

Please sign this Petition to call upon Telford and Wrekin Council to open the Herbert Avenue Car Park.