ALRESFORD'S picturesque
pavements could be littered
with pay and display parking
machines, it's been revealed.
Fears have been expressed
that a new 70-space car park at
Perins School - which was
given the green light last week
- will not solve the problem
of people leaving their cars in
Broad Street and West Street
all day.
It is hoped that moves to
increase the frequency and
duration of parking wardens in
the town will solve the issue,
but if not, New Alresford Town
Council says pay and display
meters could be introduced.
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Cllr Roy Gentry, vice-chairman
of the town council, said:
"There's a substantial debate
about whether there should be
pay and display meters, but
that's not necessarily being
supported by the town council.
"What's going to happen is
that the policing with a small
p' of the existing regulations
covering Broad Street and
West Street is going to be
improved.
"What the town council in
general is trying to do is not to
catch the guy that overstays by
10 minutes, it's the ones that
stay there all day. "If that does
not work we need to move to
consider pay and display
machines.
At present visitors to the
town are able to park free in
Broad Street for up to two
hours, and in West Street for
an hour.
But many are abusing the
system and leaving cars on the
town's streets all day, which
some say damages the local
economy.
Cllr Gentry added: "The
weakness of the existing system
is the two hours or one
hour of free parking does not
start until the parking warden
arrives.
"I personally believe if people
know there's going to be
wardens for six days a week,
that will move the long term
parkers on.
"It will be difficult and that's
why I am supporting getting
parking wardens first, and see
if they solve the problem
because bringing in pay and
display meters will be controversial."
Simon Evans, owner of The
Naked Grape and chairman of
the Alresford Chamber of
Commerce, said: "Anything
that's going to make the car
parking issue go away has got
to be welcomed.
"From a business point of
view car parking is on everyone's
lips. It's a 20-year problem,
and if this is a modern
day solution that everyone's
happy with, that's a good
thing.
"But how the town looks and
feels is also very important -
it's about a balance between
the two.
"I think some people would
be against the proposal but
once people are made aware
and they realise it will make
the town a better place to be
and live, that's a positive
thing."
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