Fylde and Wyre welcome pay and display rethink after most Lancashire districts say they do not want on-street machines

As The Gazette revealed last week, Lancashire County Council had been considering a rollout of parking charges in several unnamed towns as part of its annual budget plans.

However, after being reminded of the disquiet that a similar proposal caused five years ago, the authority’s ruling Conservative group pledged to seek the opinion of Lancashire’s 12 district council leaders before making any final decisions.

Fylde and Wyre were amongst the areas which objected. Last time the idea was floated, Lytham and Cleveleys were highlighted as possible locations for the rollout.

Karen Buckley, leader of Fylde Council said that when the county council previously ran an extensive consultation with residents in Lytham St. Annes about the potential introduction of pay and display along the promenade, the response was “overwhelmingly against this suggestion”.

“Our largest town, St. Annes, is coastal and local businesses depend upon the visitor economy. We are working to bring about regeneration to the area and the imposition of parking charges would counteract the benefits of the investment strategy we are looking to implement.

“I'm reassured to read that the [county council] cabinet member for finance, County Cllr Alan Vincent, has clarified the position and stated that the charges will not be implemented where Districts don't want them,” Cllr Buckley added.

Wyre Council’s deputy leader Roger Berry said the authority had confirmed to County Hall that the authority did not want on-street pay and display machines and was “pleased that [they] will not be imposing this on us”.

At a meeting of Lancashire leaders last week, six districts - Burnley, Chorley, Pendle, Ribble Valley, South Ribble and Wyre – all said that they would not welcome fess being introduced in their areas. The Gazette understands Fylde, which was not in attendance, made separate representations, as did Hyndburn.

Rossendale also expressed concern, but sought further information, similarly to Lancaster City Council, which, along with Preston, is one of only two places where on-street pay and display is already in operation in Lancashire. Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen, as standalone council areas, are responsible for their own on-street parking arrangements.

The proposal, as it was originally conceived, was expected to generate £794,000 a year for the county council’s coffers, albeit that it would have required an initial £1.95m investment in the machines themselves.

County Cllr Vincent, who is also the county council’s deputy leader, said that it was only ever the intention to consider on-street charging in those towns where there are already off-street pay and display car parks managed by the district council for that area.

"I made clear at the cabinet meeting that this item should be considered paused until we had an opportunity to discuss it at the district leaders’ meeting on 25th January, in order to seek their appetite for the scheme, with the benefit of their local knowledge.

"Of those present, Chorley, Ribble Valley, Burnley, Wyre, South Ribble and Pendle all made clear that they did not want any new pay and display parking, whilst the leader of Rossendale and the chief executive of Lancaster both expressed concerns, but wished to have more information before taking a final decision.

"I'm grateful to my colleagues for considering the proposal - and for their feedback - and I wish to make clear that no new parking meters will be imposed on any district that does not want them,” County Cllr Vincent said.