Conservative plans to end free parking in Great Missenden should be scrapped

12.00.00am GMT Fri 15th Feb 2008

Chiltern Liberal Democrats have criticised Conservative Chiltern District Council's proposals to end all free 1 hour parking on Link Road, High Street and Station Approach in Great Missenden as "ill thought-out and unnecessary". The Conservative proposals are driven entirely by their need to "balance the books" following the introduction of the Special Parking Area, rather than any proper assessment of parking needs and pressures within the village.

Seb Berry Chairman of Great Missenden, Prestwood and Heath End Liberal Democrats said "There is clearly an urgent need for a proper review of parking in Great Missenden. But these proposals are ill thought-out and unnecessary. Not for the first time, the Conservative District Council has rushed out a series of proposals without first making any effort to actually listen to the people most affected by them. It is now vital that local residents, businesses and groups are consulted properly before any new suggestions come forward. In the meantime, the current Conservative plan to end free 1 hour parking in Great Missenden should be scrapped with immediate effect."

Cllr Peter Jones Chairman of Chiltern Liberal Democrats said "The Liberal Democrats and I have warned many times over the past three years that this has been coming. It was the inevitable result of the decision taken by the Tories to introduce the so-called Special Parking Area. Three years ago I pointed out that they would introduce this after the 2007 district council elections, and now they have done. Any Conservative members who are now complaining about pay-and-display on-street parking are either ignorant, confused or simply hypocritical".