Council chiefs have agreed to consider a plea from a GP surgery not to charge patients to park for appointments. Residents and councillors have been campaigning for the city council to abandon pay and display plans at Westbury Hill car park in Westbury-on-Trym – and now the local authority has agreed to consult with the community “to look at alternative cost-neutral parking charges”, after complaints about the impact on GP patients, churchgoers and short-stay shoppers.
It comes as Westbury-on-Trym Primary Care Centre, which is at the rear of the car park where patients park during appointments, has joined locals in urging Bristol City Council to keep the first hour free while increasing fees for longer stays so it still raises about the same amount of money from drivers. And opposition Conservative councillors have tabled a motion to full council demanding a compromise and proper consultation with communities who use the 10 suburban car parks where charges are being introduced.
Tory group leader Cllr Mark Weston’s proposal asks Labour mayor Marvin Rees to “revisit, review and reverse” the plans, which were endorsed by cabinet in January and included in last month’s annual budget. He said the “misconceived idea” would harm shopping centres, volunteer and faith groups and would impact residents who relied on nearby public services, such as medical clinics and community centres.
