In an attempt to support local retailers and encourage visitors to Ventnor, Ventnor Town Council (VTC) has passed a motion to offer a period of free parking. This follows the closure of Leeson Road in December 2023 due to the Bonchurch Landslide.
The free parking, from 10am to 4pm on Saturdays, can be enjoyed in the car parks that are run by the VTC: Dudley Road, Market Street and Pound Lane, until the reopening of Leeson Road or until a viable alternative route is found and opened to transport.
Call for IWC to follow suit
The VTC agreed to urge Isle of Wight council to follow their example and offer free parking on Saturdays, “especially in the central car park”.
Mayor Steve Cooper explained that he’d had a number of meetings with local businesses, with a view to reinvigorate the Ventnor Business Association. He explained the meetings had been very productive. He added,
“We are very friendly to businesses, we want to project that, as well as being very community-minded.”
He went on to say,
“We are a town in crisis, I don’t think that’s too strong a word to actually use, and we all know that businesses need footfall, so I think it is a moral duty, but also a practical duty of the town council to put in some practical measures to try and help and assist businesses where at all possible.”
Cost to the council
Mr Cooper added that there were some people who did not agree with free parking of any kind, and that the council has to balance their books. He said that from discussions with local businesses it was agreed that providing the free parking on Saturdays was “the most advantageous act” they could do. He said they were trying to work productively, in partnership with the local businesses.
The cost to the VTC would be around £2,500 per annum – which will be “offset by the VTC by the most appropriate means possible”, to avoid impacting other community provision.
Diversion of 5 minutes
Councillor Steve Milford wished for drivers to be reminded that when coming from places like Ryde the diversion is only an additional five-ten minutes.
“Yes, there may be some road congestion, but the reality is that it’s not massively different.”
Review every three months
Councillor Steph Toogood suggested that if a new Business Association is set up, that the VTC check in with them every quarter to determine whether the free parking is having an impact.
Listen again
The decision was made at last night’s (Monday) VTC meeting.
You can listen to the discussion by watching the live recording on YouTube.
