Parking top of election agenda for Tunbridge Wells high street (original) (raw)

Businesses in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, have called for changes to parking in the town centre to attract more visitors.

Several traders told the BBC that confusing restrictions, high charges and traffic measures were discouraging customers.

The comments come ahead of elections on 7 May for a third of the seats on Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

"What concerns me is the accessibility of the town and parking restrictions," TN1 Bar and Kitchen owner Murat Askin said.

Matt Jenner, manager of Whirligig Toys, said: "We always hear complaints about the car park charges and places to park as well."

Askin said that parking was "not so easily understandable" in the town, particularly for older people, and that it was "not very clear" how to pay to park.

He called for a short-term parking option on the road outside his restaurant "so that the customers can come and pick up their items very quickly" from neighbouring shops.

He added that traffic restrictions were driving customers away as they "don't want to come to the town centre with their cars".

Andrew Collins, owner of Brittens Music, said it was "expensive to get into Tunbridge Wells and park".

"You've got to take away as many obstacles to people coming into the town as you can," he told the BBC.

He called for "more parking, cheaper parking and more facilities for attracting people into the town".

Whirligig manager Jenner said that footfall was something "that we have a big struggle with at the moment".

"Definitely more things to do for younger children as well," he said.

"I've got two kids myself and always finding it a struggle to find something to do with them in town."

In a statement, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council said there was no evidence parking charges have had an impact on footfall which it said had grown following investment in the Royal Victoria Place shopping centre.

The authority added traffic measures had contributed to a "safer, quieter and more pedestrian‑friendly town centre", and two million parking charges were being managed with flexible options including card and app payments each year.