ANGRY councillors and traders have called on residents to help them to lobby Bradford Council over “ill-thought out” plans to remove free parking at two sites in Baildon.

Bradford Council has started a public consultation on Friday, November 4, with residents to remove the free first hour of parking at both the Ian Clough Hall in Hall Cliffe and The Grove car parks in Baildon town centre.

The proposals, released in a letter from the authority’s parking services department, suggest a charge of 30p for the first hour of parking at both sites, between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Saturday.

People have until noon on Friday, November 25, to object to the council’s city solicitor over the car parking proposals.

Cllr Debbie Davies (Con, Baildon) says the plans will impact on local businesses and may turn trade away from the town, with motorists “clogging up” nearby residential streets to avoid the parking charges.

She said: “We are very fortunate to have a large car park in Baildon which we should be encouraging people to use.

“If charges are brought in for the first hour this will impact adversely on local businesses and shops, it will lead to more parking in residential areas near the centre of the village.

“It is an ill-thought out policy which demonstrates a complete lack of forward thinking by the council.

“We want a thriving village centre and we don’t want residential streets clogged up with cars or people choosing to travel to nearby Guiseley in Leeds City Council area where they can park for free.

“It is the inconvenience of having to try to find 30p every time you park. It’s the knock-on effect it will have too.”

Cllr Mike Pollard (Con, Baildon), who is also treasurer of the Baildon in Bloom group, said: “This could cause wholly disproportionate damage to local businesses.

“Just one shop being tipped over into closure and subject to a three-month Business Rates ‘empty property exemption’, will probably cause greater loss to the council than all the first hour 30p payments put together.”

Bradford Council claim a range of changes have been agreed for car parks across the district which include amendments to car parks.

A Bradford Council spokesman said: “ We encourage people to have their say on the consultation and when the consultation ends we will look at all the responses that have been received and a decision will be made.”

MORE TOP STORIES