Last updated at 20:10, Thursday, 14 January 2010

PARKING meters will be banned in Maryport as a town council policy.

The council’s finance and general purposes committee recommended that the policy should be adopted by the council to stop any move by the county to install the meters.

Councillor Peter Kendall told the committee that he had seen reports that Cumbria County Council was looking at parking meters and warned that it would be the final nail in Maryport’s economic coffin.

“We have to let the local authorities know that we will not have anything here,” he said.

Coun Carni McCarron-Holmes moved that the council make its opposition to parking meters official policy.

The county council is looking at parking meters as a source of revenue from its on-street parking, which is enforced by Allerdale council.

A spokesman for the Local Government Association said the district and county authorities would not have to abide by town council policy.

The policy would, however, emphasise the town council’s opposition on behalf of its traders, many of whom are already struggling, and the county council would be required to consult widely.

The question of parking meters was raised because the cash-strapped county council said in November that it could raise £700,000 a year from on-street parking.

The controversial idea was contained in budget proposals that have gone to public consultation.

Maryport retailers are already angry that parking charges have been put up from £1.50 to £5.50 a day on Mill Street car park.

After attempts to pedestrianise Senhouse Street, the main shopping street, parking places were lost and the only place to park long-term was on Mill Street car park.

Jill Skinner, florist from the Lily Basket, said the increased parking charges were adding to her costs.

She added: “If there were meters to put customers off I don't think I would survive.”

Gail Howard, of Party Nites on Curzon Street, said: “If they introduce parking meters I’d look at moving my business out of Maryport, probably to Workington or somewhere.”

Nicola Kerr, a florist from Root 66, said the councils were doing nothing to help retailers.

Maryport retailers protested at the parking charges and submitted a petition to Allerdale council, but it was submitted too late and was not accepted.

First published at 19:26, Thursday, 14 January 2010
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk