Frome & District Chamber of Commerce are disappointed that MDC are still proposing to impose above inflation increases in car parking charges, even larger increases in season ticket prices, and to impose Sunday charges in Frome, and then to have further above inflation increases in car parking charges and season tickets for the next three years.
Although MDC have indicated that they will have a review after they have put up the prices our position has always been that they need to have a proper review before they put up the prices. Off-street and on-street parking must be reviewed together. Prices are an element of the whole parking package which cannot be separated out. This is the position that we took in 2012 and in 2014.
We have also said repeatedly that before putting up charges again MDC need to implement the recommendations from the last external review they had in 2008, which they have still not implemented (e.g., better signs).
A decision will be made by Cabinet on 21st May, which will then go to statutory consultation, but that will be limited to the decision already made. MDC already make a very substantial surplus from their car parks. Frome & District Chamber of Commerce think a proper review will identify ways in which MDC can increase their revenue without the same negative impacts and support town centres in Frome and in the other towns in Mendip.
Frome Town Council has launched a petition about the Sunday parking charges. While our stance is that the issues are wider than just this element we would still encourage people to sign it. Find it here.
Find out more about our response to what Mendip has proposed here.