Town's trade is hit by car fees (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Town's trade is hit by car fees

A STOW business leader has said the town has become "unbalanced" following the introduction of car parking charges last year.

Paul Gibson, chairman of the town's chamber of commerce and a member of Stow Town Council, said motorists were opting to park at the free car park next to Tesco rather than use the Maugersbury Road car park, where they are charged.

"People aren't parking there because of the charges. They go into Tesco so this end of the town is dead," said Cllr Gibson, who runs the Leather Shop in Sheep Street.

"The traders felt the effect of car parking charges as soon as they were introduced. It has unbalanced Stow. We are down by 20 per cent," he added.

He also suggested that parking charges should be abolished. "Long term, businesses will not survive," he warned.

Lynden Stowe, the Cotswold district councillor with responsibility for the environment, said he was puzzled by Cllr Gibson's comments because ticket sales were up 24 per cent on last year.

"Whenever I've been in Stow recently the town looks as though it's thriving. We must remember the district council provides only a small proportion of parking spaces in the town." He said if the chamber of commerce had any "hard evidence" that parking charges were affecting trade he would welcome the opportunity to discuss it with them.

The district council introduced charges at the Maugersbury Road car park in June last year to bring it in line with other council car parks in the district.

In July, 3,878 car parking tickets were sold at Maugersbury Road compared with 3,112 during the same month last year.