St Albans City and District Council is planning a number of new parking measures, including freezing most parking charges, as part of a move to help attract more shoppers and tourists to St Albans.
The plans were discussed at a meeting with managers of Christopher Place and The Maltings shopping centres and then unveiled to retailers at the Retail Forum on 31 January.
They include:
• a review of parking to the south of the city centre including Holywell Hill, Belmont Hill and London Road (south of Alma Road) to identify ways of supporting retailers. This could include the introduction of new free one-hour on-street parking spaces.
• the freezing of on-street parking charges across the District.*
• the freezing of parking charges at council-owned car parks across the District*, apart from the rate for 3-5 hours which will increase by 20p to £3.40. (The increase is a contractual obligation set out in the Council’s contract with NCP).
• a review of coach parking facilities with the aim of providing additional spaces to help attract more tourists to the City.
• exploring pay by phone technology at council-owned car parks to make it easier for people to extend their stay without the need to return to their vehicle.
• the promotion of free on-street parking on Sundays and at council-owned city centre car parks**, as well as parking for a £1 at Christopher Place and The Maltings.
These new initiatives are in addition to the Council’s introduction of 20 new free one-hour on-street parking spaces at the north end of St Peter’s Street at the end of last year.***
Councillor Beric Read, Portfolio Holder for Community Engagement and Localism for St Albans City and District Council, said: “The Council is committed to supporting retailers and restaurant and café owners, by making St Albans more attractive to shoppers and tourists. One way of doing this is to make parking easier and to keep charges under control.
“In finalising these plans, we will balance the interests of local residents, shoppers, tourists and workers, while also paying regard to the need to reduce congestion.”
Member contact:
Councillor Beric Read, Portfolio Holder for Community Engagement and Localism for St Albans City and District Council
Mob: 07956 220264
Contact for the media:
Amanda Wilkinson,
Media and Internal Communications Officer
St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 01727 819317
E-mail: amanda.wilkinson@stalbans.gov.uk
www.stalbans.gov.uk
Notes:
* For the year from 2 April 2012.
**Parking is free on Sundays in St Albans city centre at the following council-owned car parks:
• London Road
• Keyfield Terrace
• Civic Centre
• Bricket Road North
• Adeleide Street
• Townsend Avenue
***The new 20 free one-hour on-street parking spaces to the north of St Peter’s Street are located at Etna Road and Upper Marlborough Place and opposite St Peter’s Church.