Earlier this year the BID put together a Town Centre Work permit proposal for East Herts with the aim to activate Northgate End car park and help out town centre workers with discounted parking. This was put on pause by councillors, and then rejected when it went to vote at Full Council in October.
Following this the BID has kept in close communication with Cllr Tim Hoskins and the officers responsible for parking as other plans were considered. We are very appreciative of the opportunity to engage in extensive discussions. This has allowed us to explain in great detail the multiple challenges our businesses and residents face in accessing the town centre for work, essential services and leisure.
Now a report and proposal for a change in tariffs has now been drawn up. This is scheduled for presentation at the council meeting on December 13th. However, it is our view that this will not solve the current parking problems in our town centre, as well as it not being the previously promised holistic view. We believe it will adversely affect trading conditions, making it even tougher for businesses and further crippling them at an already challenging time. For these reasons, the BID does not support the proposal.
You can read the full report here.
These changes are exclusive to Bishop’s Stortford and do not apply district wide. They are being implemented to align with the priorities of the ‘Climate Change Strategy and emerging Air Quality Action Plan’. The report refers to Hockerill junction as it’s priority, however, these tariff changes will have no impact on the decision of whether cars use that junction or not.
In our view it is draconian and not the previously promised holistic view. If the vote is successful, once again, Hertford-based councillors will shape the fate of Bishop’s Stortford with little or no regard for the potential fallout. Plans to provide realistic alternatives are vague at best, leaving us with the impression that we are being punished for driving cars, including EVs, to go about our daily lives.
While we understand the financial pressures the council is under, we believe that increasing the all-day parking tariff in three car parks in Bishop’s Stortford is a short-sighted way to balance the books, with potential negative effects on our town centre businesses and residents, and without clear benefits to climate change goals. We appreciate there is a small reduction in one car park, but this is not a suitable option for everyone.
At this point, we are hopeful that it will be refused at the full council meeting, to go through a majority vote is required.
What you can do: If you feel this proposal will adversely affect you, we would ask you to email your councillor to let them know, so they can take this into account when they vote for or against this. You can find your councillor and their contact details here.
You must email them ahead of the meeting, which is 7pm on Wednesday 13 December.
