Plans to remove all parking spaces from the city centre as part of a new set of rules for a badly neglected pedestrian area have provoked mixed reactions.

Lincolnshire County Council wants to tighten the Traffic Control Order (TRO) which is designed to prevent vehicles from driving through Spalding town centre.

Current regulations prohibit vehicles from entering Hall Place and Market Place from Monday to Saturday and on market days between 10am and 4pm. However, this rule is often ignored by many motorists. Cars also park in the Market Place car parks and on the street.

However, the district council would like to move the existing roadside parking spaces out of the pedestrian zone and also introduce a 24-hour parking ban on the market square.

We contacted some businesses in the city centre to find out what they think of the proposal.

Emily Davey and Amanda Marriott of Robert Goddard believe the loss of downtown parking will not impact their business, but hope it will put an end to the bad behavior of drivers breaking the rules.

Amanda had expressed concern about the “triad” of motorists parking on the street after 10am and was pleased that the city council was reviewing the regulations.

She said: “We are worried about people with children running out of the store. We close our doors when there are children in the store because we are afraid people will run into the street.”

“There is no real enforcement of the rules.”

Emily said: “People come in for 20 minutes, park and then honk at people on the street.

“I don’t think it (the loss of parking spaces) would deter buyers.”

Raluca Ungureanu, who recently opened Fratteli’s with her husband Ionut, thinks it’s a good idea to look at the order because she has seen many cars driving through the city center.

She said: “There is parking nearby. I think it would be fine if people were encouraged to come downtown rather than being put off by the cars.”

The new owner of Penningtons cafe on Red Lion Street, Helen Wheeler, believes there is already a problem with the number of parking spaces in the city.

She said: “There isn’t a lot of parking in Spalding. I think for the elderly and disabled it is convenient to have these parking spaces in the town. The town is struggling enough with the loss of businesses so I think if people can come closer and park.

“One of the problems when we looked at the business was the question of parking. We have walk-in customers when people come in for a coffee and cake, but it would be nice to have more parking.”

Jason Coates, owner of Element 78, also believes that more parking spaces are needed. He said the information provided by the district administration was not particularly clear.

He said: “I think this will deter people from coming into town. People like to come to get some work done. A lot of older people can’t easily walk long distances.”

Under new proposals, the district council wants to increase the number of disabled parking spaces in Red Lion Street, Double Street and Sheep Market.

In Stamford, South Kesteven District Council wants to increase the number of parking spaces at the cattle market.

What do you think? Share your views in the comments below…

---

---