ANGRY Bolton Street Business Club members have condemned town-centre parking proposals from Bury Council.

Private contract parking at the car park behind the East Lancashire Railway station on Bolton Street looks set to cease from April next year.

But traders say the contract 'ban' does not go far enough.

Traffic and engineering councillors approved the plans in principle at a meeting on Monday but a final decision was deferred while consultations took place with interested parties.

If the plans are implemented, contract parking on the ELR car park will be replaced by short-stay pay and display parking open to the general public.

A final decision is expected in the next four weeks. And even though the proposals seem positive on the surface, Bolton Street Business Club chairman Yvonne Wright claims they are not the answer.

A petition with 911 names went to the council asking for the changes - and for a prohibitive all-day charge. Mrs Wright explained: "Contract parkers pay up front to use the car park at an average of about £1.10 per day.

"But the charge for staying on the car park all day under pay and display rules will only be £1.80.

"I am sure that many of the existing contract parkers can afford to and will be prepared to pay an extra 70p for convenience parking.

"So the car park will still be blocked every day from 9am. People will pay to stay all day and there will not be much of an advantage for shoppers.

"The council should introduce an all-day parking fee of £5 to dissuade people from leaving their cars on the car park all day."

Mrs Wright says that the council should introduce a prohibitive fee as has been done on the car park across the road from the station on Bolton Street.

She added: "Businesses here need help from the council to redress the balance following all the new retail developments in Bury.

"Contract parking spaces should be allocated in all car parks across Bury which would solve the problem but still leave plenty of spaces for shoppers."

Bury Council borough engineer Mike Cannon said: "If the proposals are introduced the maximum fee will be £1.80 but the situation would be reviewed after six months."

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