Parking charge set to double at Stratford’s popular Greenway car park

It was announced last month that charges for a number of Warwickshire’s country parks would be increasing by either 50p or £1 depending on the length of stay
Visitors to Stratford’s popular Greenway car park will see the cost of an hour’s parking double in price from the start of April in spite of efforts to spread the increase over three years.Visitors to Stratford’s popular Greenway car park will see the cost of an hour’s parking double in price from the start of April in spite of efforts to spread the increase over three years.
Visitors to Stratford’s popular Greenway car park will see the cost of an hour’s parking double in price from the start of April in spite of efforts to spread the increase over three years.

Visitors to Stratford’s popular Greenway car park will see the cost of an hour’s parking double in price from the start of April in spite of efforts to spread the increase over three years.

It was announced last month that charges for a number of Warwickshire’s country parks would be increasing by either 50p or £1 depending on the length of stay.

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But a group of Liberal Democrat councillors called the item in, insisting that there should have been more consultation prior to making the announcement.

The increases mean that someone parking at the Greenway - the old railway line linking Stratford to Long Marston - will see their pay and display ticket go up from 50p to £1 for an hour. Stays of more than four hours will go up £1 to £4.

Cllr Kate Rolfe (Lib Dem, Stratford South) said users of the Stratford site, which is popular with cyclists and dog walkers, were facing savage increases.

She added: “The portfolio holder did not give any members who have a country park within their division the opportunity to comment upon the proposals.

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“I believe a cross-party group should have been set-up to discuss the costs and the method of increase. Among members with a country park in their division we could have come up with a less severe increase and possibly suggested a more gentle stepped up increase over a period of three years.

“This is an unfair, steep increase and more so in Stratford than in other districts. The increases are way over the rate of inflation. The overall increase across all country parks is 17%.

“With these somewhat savage increases we are preventing or restricting people’s usage of these amenities and therefore reducing the health and wellbeing offer.

“I ask that you withdraw the decision to increase charges and introduce a task and finish group to look at more modest and kinder ways of increasing charges over a period of time.”

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Cllr Heather Timms (Con, Earl Craven), the portfolio holder for environment, climate and culture, explained that the Greenway increases were higher because it was the first price rise since charges were introduced five years ago.

She said: “I want to see parity across our country parks comparable to the facilities available. Stratford Greenway has been out of step because there hasn’t been an increase.

“This might encourage people to walk to the Greenway and use it. You always talk about a reduction in the use of the cars and this could actually facilitate that.”

And Cllr Adrian Warwick (Con, Fosse) said it was important that the car park was used by those enjoying the park rather than motorists looking for a cheaper alternative to Stratford town centre.

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He said “We are already dramatically undercutting the cost of town centre parking and what we don’t want to do is create a place where people are prevented from using the park facilities because the car park is littered with those using the town centre.”