Disappointment over stalled free parking plan

Businesses and shoppers have urged Bradford Council bosses to "get your act together" after plans to reintroduce free parking were put on hold.

The Reform UK administration had proposed giving drivers one free hour at council-owned car parks, alongside free evening parking.

The move would have largely reversed changes made by the previous Labour administration, which scrapped some free and evening parking as part of cost-cutting measures introduced amid pressure on the council's finances.

But following a council meeting on Tuesday, the authority confirmed the plans were "not deliverable" in the short term.

On a mid-morning visit to Idle, where traders previously hit out at the scrapping of free parking, there was disappointment among both businesses and shoppers.

A couple of cars were parked in the council-run car park at The Green, while surrounding streets were filled with parked vehicles.

"I can't tell you how angry we are about this," said Liberal Democrat councillor Alun Griffiths, who represents Idle and Thackley.

"We're fed up of being told one thing and then it doesn't happen."

Griffiths claimed the car park in Idle raised less than £9,000 in its first year of charging, while the effect on surrounding businesses and residents had been "incalculable".

Parking up ahead of a hair appointment, Anne Andrews said she had been forced to use the car park because the surrounding streets were so busy.

She she did not mind paying £1 to park, but found the system inconvenient because she did not usually carry change and said she was unable to pay by card.

"Get your act together," she told the council.

A short walk away, Julie Sutcliffe was running an art session for children at her Paper Haven shop.

She described the halted reintroduction of free parking as "a classic case of overpromising and underdelivering" on the local authority's part.

She said parking pressures affected shopkeepers and residents as well as customers, and suggested discounted permits for traders could generate some income for the council while freeing street spaces for shoppers.

One of her customers, who was at the art session with his children, warned Idle faced "death by a thousand cuts", with customers diverting to nearby supermarkets to avoid paying for parking.

Bradford Council leader Stephen Place announced in July on social media that free and discounted parking at local authority sites would be brought back.

The measures were expected to go before the executive on Tuesday but did not appear on its agenda.

Speaking after the meeting, councillor Ian Walker, cabinet member for neighbourhoods and communities, said it remained the administration's "firm view" that free parking would support shoppers, local retailers and the night-time economy.

"We appreciate that residents will be frustrated by delayed progress," he added.

He said the administration remained committed to exploring other options, with a view to introducing improved parking measures in the next financial year.

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