A CAMPAIGN against proposals to introduce charges at a village car park has been launched.

Idle village car park, which is situated near The Green, is currently free but, as part of Bradford Council's 2024/25 budget, there is a proposal to introduce a parking charge of £1 an hour, sparking a petition from councillors and businesses.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Idle village car park, which is free to park in at the moment.Idle village car park, which is free to park in at the moment. (Image: Newsquest)

Jodie Walsh, owner of Top Knot clothing shop on Bradford Road, said: “Businesses have been vocal about it and almost everyone’s in agreement that parking charges should not be introduced.

“This was announced in January and there was no consultation with residents or business owners.

“We were told about it by the Liberal Democrat councillors. We’ve been working with them on a petition to protest the charges and it’s had hundreds of signatures.

“We handed over the petition back to the councillors at the end of last week, and I understand it is going to be discussed at the Full Council meeting this week.

“As businesses, we’re bringing a lot of people into the village.

“It’s not that people are tight, but people are not going to want to pay £1 just to park for a short time. This is going to have a massive impact on businesses.

“And if you’re charging £1 an hour, people working the village are not going to want to pay £8 a day to park there.

“This is going to have a knock-on effect on everybody. My worry is not just for my own business, but it’s going to bring the whole village down. It’s going to drive people away.

“People like to come to Idle to see what it has to offer,” but she added: “We’re not Saltaire. Predominantly, Idle village is for Idle and Thackley residents.”

Rachel Crowther, owner of Funky and Fresh Hair on The Green is also concerned.

“If people had to pay £1, you won’t get people just calling in for a coffee or a sandwich,” she said, pointing out that Idle village businesses have been thriving the past few years, with newer businesses doing well.

She said: “I don’t want it to go back to it being a derelict village like it was a few years ago.”

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, who has been campaigning about the parking charges with fellow Liberal Democrat councillor, Alun Griffiths, said: “The village is already congested. People will be moving out of the car park and into the streets.

“It could be traffic chaos. We already have local residents asking for parking permits.

“Business owners are worried. They don’t want to lose customers.

“It’s a good offer is Idle village.

“The car park has only about 25 spaces and what the council would generate in income would be a minimal amount of money.

“They’re not going to generate enough to make a difference to the big budget deficit they have. This proposal is nonsense.

“They’re looking at introducing car parking charges at free car parks like Idle, Leeds Road, Wibsey, Addingham, Steeton and Burley-in-Wharfedale.”

Bradford Council has also proposed implementing a standard district-wide £1 per hour charge bringing Shipley and Keighley into line with places such as Bingley, Saltaire and Haworth.

Higher-demand car parks in the Bradford district could also see charges rise from £1 an hour to £1.50.

Cllr Sunderland said: “If people can’t park for free in these places, they’ll get fed up and go places where there’s free parking.”

A Bradford Council spokesperson said: “Nearly all council-owned car parks across the district already have parking charges, particularly in our urban centres.

“Parking charges play an essential role in the careful management of our village, town and city centres where there is high demand for parking spaces.

“They can help encourage a healthy turnover of vehicles and shoppers to support local businesses.

“We understand the concern people may have on these and other proposals, however, given the financial situation at local authorities across the country we’re having to consider many difficult decisions in the budget.

“Free car parks bring an additional cost to the council in business rates and no charges means this is essentially subsidised by taxpayers.

“Charges cover this cost and are also a source of income to help pay for the upkeep of our car parks.”