West Malling market stalled by parking hours

Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council say they won't be making changes anytime soon as traders can park elsewhere.  Finn Macdiarmid reports.

Transcript

00:00Parking is likely the last thing on your mind when you're looking forward to your day out.

00:04It means people can shop and spend money to support local businesses.

00:08But it is essential to the local economy.

00:10In West Morling, new changes to the parking restrictions have local residents concerned,

00:14including new parking meters along the high street and new restrictions,

00:18meaning that you can't stay at council car parks for more than four hours.

00:22I see it as a backwards move, quite frankly.

00:26So, it makes no sense to me whatsoever.

00:29I think the parking situation here and the charges are crazy.

00:34Julie runs an independent menswear store named after her dog, Clay,

00:38and she says she's witnessing the effects of restrictions on her shop and others on the high street.

00:45Well, with parking charges increasing as well and parking meters being installed along the high street,

00:51businesses like this one, especially independent ones, say they may struggle to turn a profit.

00:57Parking is just another restriction.

01:00People can go elsewhere, like Bluewater for the day, and park free.

01:04Here, they have to make the effort to come and support us independent shops.

01:09And in doing so, they've now got to pay to do that.

01:14So, it's another level, it's another inconvenience.

01:17And, yeah, I think it will definitely have a negative impact on our business, without doubt.

01:22Footfall, the drop, the sort of just pop-in customer is definitely going to dwindle.

01:28West Morling also has a farmers' market that's run for 25 years and become a staple of the town,

01:34even winning at the Kent Food and Drink Awards last year.

01:37With the change in restrictions, local councillors fear for the knock-on effect on the market and the local economy.

01:42People are extremely upset at the fact that car parking charges for particularly the Sunday market are coming in.

01:52The traders are allowed four hours, and no extension of four hours, and no return within three.

01:59Now, they get here, most of them, about 7 o'clock in the morning, and they don't leave for two.

02:04That's seven hours, so after four hours at 11 o'clock, they've got to go home.

02:08So, it's not worth it.

02:10According to Tonbridge and Morling councillor Matt Borton,

02:13given that traders already have parking available in the road closure, as they have always done,

02:18we will not be making any changes to this policy immediately.

02:21As with all parking policies, we will review the next year after any new changes have had a number of months to settle in.

02:28Well, traders, visitors and business owners will be waiting to see if the parking restrictions are stopped,

02:33or if it will remain a charged issue.

02:36Finn McDermott for KMTV in West Morling.