Plan for new charges to ease parking

Council leaders in Hagley say the plan to introduce parking charges in the village should address long-standing parking problems.

Published Oct 8, 2014

Hagley Parish Council has announced proposals to allow people to park for four hours for free, but charge people for any time spent after that.

They hope the move will boost the number of parking spots available for shoppers as concerns have been raised about visitors struggling to find a space in the village.

It comes after a deal was made to allow to the Hagley Community Centre car park to be used for general parking.

The parish council is also working to create other parking areas in the village.

Chairman of Hagley Parish Council, Steve Colella, said: "I am delighted we have at last reached agreement with local businesses and the Community Association to address this long-standing parking problem, which is already over-spilling into local residential streets."

Fears have been raised that an increase in housing with work under way at two sites – including a development of 175 homes off Kidderminster Road – will lead to more people wanting to park in the village.

"The new housing developments will only add to demand and there are concerns that residents would increasingly shop in Stourbridge or Kidderminster if we did not fix the problem," he said.

Mr Colella said: "The plan to bring the separate Community Centre car park into wider use will provide much needed additional capacity and the Parish Council is working closely with Hagley Business Association to free up more land."

The new car parking arrangements are expecting to come into force later this year.