MAJOR changes to car parking in Stroud set to come into effect next month have received a mixed reaction.

Parking fees will increase in two district council car parks - Church Street and Rowcroft - from Monday, April 1.

Stays in Church Street will be £1.70, £2.50 and £4.70 for one, two and three hours respectively - currently they are £1.50, £2.20 and £4.50.

Similar stays at Rowcroft will be £1.70, £2.50 and £3.70 - currently they are £1.50, £2.20 and £3.

There will however be no increase in charges at the London Road car park and adjoining Brunel Mall multi-storey car park, Cheapside or Parliament Street.

Meanwhile, the Free After 3pm scheme will be extended to Free After 2pm at London Road and Brunel Mall.

These measures were included in Stroud District Council's 2024/25 budget which was approved recently.

Elsewhere, new digital signage will be installed at Brunel Mall while cycle storage and bike parking spaces will be introduced later this year and electric vehicle charging points will be installed in all district council car parks.

In addition, the two Stonehouse car parks and the lower Stratford Park parking area will also be resurfaced.

The changes have been welcomed by Tony Davey, chair of Stroud Chamber of Trade, who is hoping they will increase footfall.

He said: "My discussions with the public have shown that while the existing free after 3pm initiative is popular, some avoid using the scheme as their journey to Stroud is via roads that can be clogged with school traffic at that time.

"I acknowledge that while using public transport is desirable, not everyone has a viable service, not everyone is able to use it and not everyone has the luxury of a schedule that facilitates it.

"Having suggested free after 2pm to both bolster the afternoon footfall opportunities and help overcome barriers to accessing the town, I am pleased it has been adopted and hope it will be well used.

"Our local economy is under significant strain at the moment and we need as few barriers to visiting town as possible."

SDC leader Catherine Braun said: "We understand the concerns of town centre traders, which is why we have listened very carefully to their proposals which help increase turnover of spaces.

"This isn't just about parking in the traditional sense shoppers arrive by a wide variety of means, so we're bringing in decent cycle storage and parking spaces, including for cargo bikes."

But while MP Siobhan Baillie welcomed some of the measures, she says there are still issues to address.

Ms Baillie said: "It has always frustrated Stroud businesses that they are treated differently from our other towns so I certainly welcome more free hours.

"However, we still have issues - in Stonehouse, businesses can point to lack of parking directly affecting their trade and Painswick is also struggling.

"I would like to see some progress by the council in addressing all parking concerns."

Labour's parliamentary candidate Dr Simon Opher said: "I think the council has got the balance about right between the interests of various groups, and I'm happy to see free parking maintained or extended, and new initiatives like EV charge points and bike storage."

SDC owns and maintains 33 public car parks including the six in Stroud town centre.

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