March in protest of parking saga (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

March in protest of parking saga

3:46pm Thursday 17th April 2008

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TRADERS in Wootton Bassett are considering organising a march in protest at the town's parking problems.

Since May last year, when North Wiltshire District Council took away the hour's free parking from Borough Fields car park, trade in the town has dropped by ten per cent.

Angry shop owners have become so frustrated with the ongoing parking saga affecting their businesses that they got together last night to discuss a protest.

The Chamber of Commerce says the situation has hit small businesses the hardest and that some see a protest as the only way to make their views public.

As Wootton Bassett is the only town in the district to have free parking in the High Street, it is filled every day by workers who travel into Swindon.

This means that shoppers who need to use the town centre are forced to pay at the Borough Fields car park.

Chamber of Commerce president, Jonathan Loader said: "Businesses that rely on passing trade have really suffered.

"People can't just pop and shop any more because the High Street is so full up.

"The district council just is not listening to us.

"The problem is that decisions about Wootton Bassett are made in Chippenham, which doesn't reflect how our town works.

"We are affected more by Swindon than the other towns like Chippenham and Calne.

"I am not convinced about the idea of a protest but it may be the only way for traders to have their say."

Alan Mole, who owns Bassett Books, said: "We would think that the average sales in the town have gone down by about 10 per cent.

"We will be getting together to share views and see if we can organise a way forward. A lot of people are affected by the situation and we all have our own view but we hopefully can come up with sensible solution."

PC Andy Fortune said: "We live in a democracy and if they want to protest then we can't stop them.

"What we would do is advise them about the safest way to do it and make sure it doesn't cause disruption to traffic in the town."

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