On Sunday evening, a relatively quiet time for the town, one of us thought it an idea to count all the private vehicles parked in the Restricted Parking Zones (RPZs) in Hay. The plan was to get some sort of idea how many vehicles could be affected if restricted parking was enforced in those areas.
True, some of the cars would not be in the town during a normal working day, but on the other hand, many of the restricted zones are to be enforced seven days a week.
In any event we found 87 cars parked, presumably overnight. This was hardly a scientific survey but undertaken merely to get some idea of the number of residents' cars that owners residing in the town centre need to park. We calculate (speculate?) that 87 cars represents some two thirds of cars owned by potentially affected residents - say 120 in total.
120 cars forced to park in the Oxford Road, town centre car park will have a considerable effect on available parking spaces for visitors - and co-incidentally create very useful income for the council.
In passing, Mary Portas, interviewed on Radio 4 in the Today programme this morning and who has been appointed to look into, and make recommendations for the revival of town centre shopping, made the comment that lack of parking was a major factor in dissuading people from shopping in towns, instead driving them into using out-of-town shopping centres.
She commented that there are now 15% of town centre shops empty, and the numbers are growing. Thankfully, there are to my knowledge no vacant shops in Hay-on-Wye. Long may it stay that way!
Vacant shops mean less income from business rates for the council and a less attractive shopping environment. Powys County Council, were you listening?
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