Traders in parking plea (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Traders in parking plea

3:00pm Saturday 27th January 2007 in News By David Jackman

TRADERS in Ongar are calling for a widespread review of parking in the town following complaints about parking in residential roads and the actions of parking attendants who are being blamed for affecting businesses.

A public meeting of Ongar Town Forum heard numerous gripes from residents and shopkeepers about the current situation, ranging from over-zealous attendants to residents fed up with people parking outside their homes.

Keith Pike, of Highway Travel travel agents, complained about the attendants, who are known to ticket vehicles which are parked for only a few minutes - and a Dutch-registered flower lorry which has no alternative than to park in the bus lay-by when making a delivery.

He told Monday's meeting: "We need to be looking at what the town is for. Do we want a town of offices or do we want a town full of shops?"

He said delivery vehicles had no other option than to stop in the High Street as many premises have no rear access.

"The only place they can park is the High Street. On a Saturday I can count in excess of 15-20 tickets being given out to old people, young people, people who run across the road (to a shop)."

Mr Pike added: "I just think that as a country town we ought to weigh up what we want. We all have to use cars. It (the current situation) will drive people out of the town."

Mick Bacon, of Five-A-Day greengrocers, said the business used three vehicles, but only ever had one vehicle at a time in the High Street.

He complained Epping Forest District Council would not let him have one car park season ticket for the business, instead insisting that it purchases one for each vehicle.

Andy Sawyer, of Sawyers dry cleaners, said: "It's got to be addressed as a whole. Developers are building more and more places in Ongar but not catering for more and more cars. The town can't cope with the cars it has got now.

"Everyone who comes to Ongar is coming in by car. If you can't increase car parking you need to limit the number of people who come in by car and you can only do that by increasing the public transport system."

Free Saturday parking - as part of a district council initiative in eight car parks aimed at boosting trade - will be introduced in the Pleasance car park in April. But the move is costing the district council £75,000 and so weekday charges are being increased to help compensate for the loss.

Mr Sawyer said: "It's just another nail in the coffin, but the traffic wardens will kill us before then."