Right up your street! Have a say on parking

That bugbear of motorists - where to park - is to be considered by Central Bedfordshire Council.

It is proposing to introduce a new set of policies for a framework for how it will provide for, manage and make decisions about parking, whether that’s parking for residents, shoppers or commuters.

Central Bedfordshire households have a higher than average number of cars or vans, There were 157,000 cars and vans in Central Bedfordshire at the time of the 2011 Census, and 47% of households owned two or more vehicles (compared to 32% nationally). Together with the anticipated growth coming to the area, it means car parking is an important issue.

The council is aiming for a comprehensive plan for how to manage on and off street parking; where more car parks are needed; and how best to enforce parking rules.

And residents can have their say on how the authority manages parking and the priorities that it should be focusing on.

Cllr Ian Dalgarno, Executive Member for Community Services said: “It’s very important that we manage our roads effectively, and parking is a huge part of this. Central Bedfordshire is an area where we are anticipating housing growth, new transport infrastructure and new employment sites, so it’s vital that town centres, train stations and residential areas can respond to this growth in terms of parking.”

A draft Parking Strategy will be produced and when this is adopted, feedback from local area assessments in key towns will be used to understand if there are any areas in Central Beds where parking needs to be improved, at which point there will be further public consultation. To have your say, visit www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/consultations or pick up a paper copy at your library. The questionnaire closes on 16 June.