Free Saturday town centre parking between September and April on the Isle of Wight has moved a step closer.
Full council earlier this week (Wednesday) backed Reform UK councillor Reuben Loake’s motion proposing County Hall investigate the policy’s feasibility and report back for future discussions by elected representatives.
The submission says independent retailers and high streets across the Island face ‘distinct economic pressures’.
These, it states, are compounded by the seasonal nature of the Isle of Wight’s tourism economy.
The motion asserts a targeted, time-bound free parking framework from September to April would provide direct financial relief to the public, including local families, during off-peak months.
It also says making council-operated off-street town centre car parks free on Saturdays during those months would create a ‘powerful incentive’ for the public, including residents, to stay, spend, and support Island businesses.
Cllr Loake’s motion states the incentive should be restricted strictly to core town centre shopping car parks and excludes coastal, beachside and transport-interchange car parks for financial reasons.
So our wonderfully inept council have decided to POSSIBLY offer free parking for 6-8 months (depending on whether beginning or end of months mentioned) and then for the rest of the year charge ludicrously exorbitant rates for the same spaces.
Of course any ideas that have the potential to kickstart our town centres are welcome but here’s a crazy off the wall idea IOW Council…….perhaps lower the rates to a sensible rate ALL year round!
I mean is it really that difficult? And these are the people who are charged with running our island. Some of them would struggle to run a bath without instructions.