Marlborough High Street parking proposals: a different view – Letter from Doug Giles

Sirs,

Temporarily widening the pavements along the high street is clearly a decision that has divided Marlborough. Personally I can see it has been a difficult decision for the town council to have taken. There may be problems with the implementation, however I’m sure the impact of this will be monitored and improvements made where necessary. We may not agree with all the decisions of the Town Council, but fundamentally it should be remembered that they are here to serve the town and its residents.

I grew up in a Leicestershire village which is now on the local lockdown border. This proves that the virus is still a very real threat to us and our community. I believe all residents in Marlborough would agree that we should do all we can to mitigate the risk of another lockdown being required here. This means that we need to adapt to new rules and regulations. Such as losing the free 30 minute parking spaces to enable local business to open up, while maintaining safe social distancing for customers queuing outside.

I was a resident in Clifton Village, in Bristol, when it was decided to introduce a Residents Parking Zone (RPZ) along with new pedestrianised streets. Similar concerns were raised, however on my last visit the local businesses, cafes and pubs were still thriving. Some were so busy that customers were happy to use the outside tables in the winter.

Having read comments on the various social media groups, it is clear we all want to support the local business that grace our wonderful high street. It is easy to be negative about enforced change, but we should be grateful we are not in the same position as Leicester.

Personally I believe there will be no real negative impact of temporarily removing the parking bays. For those of us fortunate enough to own a car we may have to pay a small fee to park on the high street or one of the other car parks located a short stroll away. However, considering the true cost of car ownership: tax, MOT, servicing, fuel, the charge for an hour of parking is insignificant. Plus you have the added bonus of having an extra half an hour to complete your errands, so why not enjoy a drink, grab a bite to eat or make a purchase to support our local businesses at the same time.

Yours,

Doug Giles
Marlborough