KNUTSFORD Town Council is encouraging residents to ensure their voices are heard on all matters parking as part of the Cheshire East Council parking survey.

The borough council, which operates the majority of car parks and parking enforcement in the town, will use the feedback to develop its parking policy for the next five years.

The Events and Town Centre Management Committee of the town council has agreed its own submission to the survey where it calls on Cheshire East to closely involve the Town Council with any proposed changes to parking charges and policy in Knutsford.

The Town Council’s response, which is available in full on its website, urges Cheshire East to implement the parking proposals in the From Top to Bottom Street report which was supported by 79% of respondents at consultation in February 2020.

Amongst the points made by the Town Council it is calling for the development of at least one well designed multi-storey car park to increase parking provision, the introduction of long-stay parking at the Booths car park and a redesign

Tatton Street car park to increase the number of spaces.

Responding to questions on potential changes to parking policy, the town council has lodged its objection to parking charges being introduced on Sundays and says that charging in the evening should only ever be introduced in a town if its town council consents. The Town Council has also said that on-street charging shouldn’t be introduced and that each town should have parking charges appropriate to the needs of the specific town centre.

The Town Council has also urged Cheshire East to move the coach parking from Tatton Street car park, where coaches cannot actually get to them, to the Bus Station. This will enable the town council to commence work on promoting the town to coach operators and boost tourism.

The Town Council is also calling on Cheshire East Council to invest in parking enforcement and ensure that illegal and inconsiderate parking is enforced and targeted at problem areas with local knowledge.

Town Clerk, Adam Keppel-Green said: "Effective and appropriately enforced parking is vital for the success of our town centre and this is an opportunity to ensure Cheshire East Council hears directly from residents to help shape future parking policy.

"We have made a number of proposals for improvements to parking and offered our commitment to work closely with Cheshire East to ensure that any changes are right for Knutsford."

The Town Council has also highlighted that more must be done to address the inequality of access to the town centre by non-car users and is committee to work with Cheshire East Council to deliver covered cycle parking at all car parks.

The survey can be completed at: https://surveys.cheshireeast.gov.uk/s/vztq7t and closes on 31st January.