Fears over impact if free car parking removed

48 minutes ago

Seb NobleCornwall political reporter, Wenfordbridge

News image — Linzi Hanscomb said her cafe relied on passing trade from people using the adjacent free park

BBC Linzi has long light brown hair and glasses and wears a cream coloured knitted top while standing in front of some windows and a blackboard in the cafe — Linzi Hanscomb said her cafe relied on passing trade from people using the adjacent free park

Business and community organisation owner has warned removing free parking from sites along the Camel Trail could threaten their survival.

Cornwall Council has been consulting on proposals to introduce charging in 13 of its car parks which are currently free to use.

Five of them are near the route of the Trail between Padstow and Bodmin - which is popular for walkers and cyclists to explore the Cornish countryside.

The council insisted its plans would raise extra revenue and that it would listen to compelling arguments for why some car parks should be exempt from charges.

Linzi Hanscomb owns the Snail's Pace Cafe at Wenfordbridge - next to one of the car parks where a £2 daily fee could be introduced.

"My business wouldn't exist if the Camel Trail wasn't here - the passing trade from the local community is what keeps us going.

"Access to the car park and the fact it's free is paramount to our business and a car parking charge is just going to be a huge obstacle. It's not sustainable for us as a business."

She said the cafe had become an important hub for people using the trail.

She said: "We always let people fill their water bottles, use the toilet, the Wifi, or the phone, regardless of them being a customer or not.

"That will be a service that won't be here if we don't survive."

Laura has shoulder length light brown hair and round glasses and wears a black t-shirt with pink Cornwall Bicycle Project and British Cycling logos on it. She is sitting on a brown leather sofa in the cafe. — Laura said charging to use car parks on the Camel Trail would limit people's access to exercise

Laura Wilton, from the the Cornwall Bicycle Project, said members of cycling groups used the Wenfordbridge car park as a meeting point and feared the impact of the charges.

She said: "I think it will act as a deterrent. There's no public transport that links to these places - the only way to get there is to drive out.

"We think is an unfair charge. It is putting a price on accessing activity."

Wilton said she also thought introducing charges for people during a cost-of-living crisis was not appropriate.

"They're having to choose then between whether or not they're going to spend that on coming out for an activity, or whether that's going to go towards food and other rising costs," she bemoaned.

Dan has dark hair and glasses and a beard and wears a blue shirt and dark blue quarter-zip jumper. There are cars parked behind him and a hedge and trees. — Dan Rogerson said the current proposals to remove some free parking were not a "done deal."

Councillor Dan Rogerson, portfolio holder for transport on the council, said widening charges would increase revenue for maintaining car parks and it was a question of "fairness."

He said: "Some people are paying to park and some people are not paying to park elsewhere.

"So, we start from the principle that there should be a contribution where you park in a car park."

However, he insisted the current proposals were not a "done deal".

He said: "The list may change, or how we implement charging may change in certain places. I think the important thing is to look at that evidence.

"If we hear specific reasons why that might have impacts on local roads, or it might be a thing with facilities that are nearby, then maybe there's a case for exempting that."

A consultation on the proposals was due to end on4 February, ahead of a final decision being made.