Ryde Business Association has joined the list of organisations who are protesting against the proposed parking changes that could potentially be implemented by the Isle of Wight Council this Summer and have threatened legal action if the changes do go ahead.
The association has this week written to Isle of Wight Council informing them that immediate legal action will be pursued if the changes go ahead, which will see free parking removed from popular areas of Ryde as well as a multitude of detrimental changes to parking across the Island, including a ‘pay to view’ policy at Blackgang Viewpoint car park.
If the changes are brought in, as is feared by residents and businesses, Ryde Business Association (RBA) will seek a judicial review and an interim injunction to put the changes on hold whilst the review is carried out.
By law, the Council cannot draw revenue from parking charges/fines to use for anything other than running the parking schemes themselves. To do otherwise would be unlawful and contravene the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. In the past four years the Council has made a £2.2million surplus from parking.
The business association has called for the Isle of Wight Council to explain why it is felt that parking between the hours of 18:00 and 20:00 in certain areas is problematic – just one of the proposed changes to parking. RBA has said that if there is no such evidence then the imposition of these parking restrictions would be unreasonable and would contravene the Road Traffic Regulation Act.
Furthermore, the association will seek a review of the Council’s constitution and will investigate by what means they can request/demand the removal of Councillors deemed unfit by the public to hold their elected posts, as well as the removal of Council Officers whom have been remiss in their actions, forgetting their job is to best serve the public for which they receive a wage from the public purse.
Freshwater resident Mark Nagle has been investigating the legalities of the Council’s proposed moves and has documented all the legal issues on his group ‘Leave our Island parking alone’.
Photograph: Businesses such as French Franks at the top of Union Street could feel the knock on effect from increased parking charges and the proposed changes
