Coventry council faces backlash over proposed parking charges at War Memorial Park, with nearly 1,500 signatures on a petition urging reconsideration of the decision.
Coventry: The council is facing pressure to rethink its decision on parking fees at War Memorial Park. Many people are upset about the plan to end free parking. Opposition councillors say the new charges are unfair and don’t make sense.
The Labour-led council thinks the fees could save around £150,000 each year. They want to match the parking fees at Coombe Abbey country park. However, almost 1,500 people have signed a petition asking the council to drop these charges.
Supporters of the petition argue that the fees would hurt vulnerable groups and discourage visitors. Andrew Walster, the Director of City Services, said that decisions like this are not made easily. He mentioned that the park costs the council about £700,000 a year to maintain.
Some commenters believe the council should charge for parking at all parks if they start at War Memorial Park. Others think the council should focus on collecting unpaid council tax instead of imposing new fees.
Many locals are concerned that charging for parking will lead drivers to park on nearby streets instead. They feel the council should explore other options to save money without affecting park visitors.
What do you think? Is it fair to charge for parking at city parks? Share your thoughts in the comments!
