Free hour parking gets go ahead for September (From Knutsford Guardian)

Free hour parking gets go ahead for September

3:00pm Thursday 30th August 2012 in News Exclusive By James Wilson

AN anticipated change in how long motorists can park on Knutsford’s streets for free is to come into force next month.

The parking review, which would see free parking on the town’s ‘centrally located’ streets go from 20 or 30 minutes to an hour, was agreed by Cheshire East Council’s cabinet in March last year – but almost 17 months later, the scheme has yet to be introduced.

At the time the review was announced shopkeepers in the town hailed the move saying it would mean customers would be able to browse around the town’s streets for longer without having to pay.

But some residents have voiced fears that the increase to an hour would mean some motorists would not be able to find a space on the road and just drive through the town instead of stopping to have a look around.

The Guardian asked Cheshire East Council when the change was planned to take place and the authority said it would be in place on September 19.

A Cheshire East Council spokesman said: “On street parking has always been free everywhere in the borough.

“The idea is to standardise the limited waiting parking bays in the town centre to allow more efficient use and a more consistent approach to enforcement.

“For example, limited waiting is to be increased from 20 or 30 minutes to one hour in centrally-located bays and it will be increased from one hour to two hours on the bays on the outskirts of town.

“The council has only received one objection to this plan, but this means the proposed works have been set back and the live date for the new traffic regulation order to be in place is September 19.”

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