Parking space losses cause concern in Happy Valley

More than 1,000 people have signed a petition against the loss of parking spaces in a town famed for its independent businesses.

Traders in Hebden Bridge said they feared they would lose custom when a major highways project began at the same time as a car park was taken out of use for flood alleviation works.

Calderdale Council's £5m scheme for the A646/A6033 route includes provisions to increase "active travel" such as walking and cycling.

The council said it would hold a public drop-in event about the issue as a planned meeting had been oversubscribed.

Parking spaces would be removed from Fallingroyd, between the town and Mytholmroyd, to make way for a cycle route under the plans, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported.

At the same time, the Environment Agency plan to use the St Pol car park as a storage compound when they start works of their own.

Business owners said St Pol alleviated pressure on other car parks in the town.

Scott Borrows, who runs the Totally Screwed hardware shop on Market Street, said businesses were not opposed to change but that there would need to be "compensation" for the loss of spaces, such as the allocation of land for a park and ride service.

He said he feared potential customers would leave if they turned up at the town, a popular tourist destination which appeared in the BBC drama Happy Valley, and found nowhere to park.

“Businesses are concerned. There are a fair amount of shopkeepers worried that they may go under. They are planning making it so people can walk, which is great – but people still need to get there.

“If you’re buying a piece of art or furniture, you’re not going to cart it home on a train or a bike,” he said.

He added that there was frustration that people had been turned away from a busy ward forum meeting about the debate.

“They are not listening to their constituents. We need the parking that we have got - nobody realised this would happen,” he said.

The council’s cabinet member for regeneration and transport, Councillor Sarah Courtney, said the council was committed to ensuring that Hebden Bridge remained busy and thriving.

The road scheme would "make it safer" for all modes of transport and improve the reliability of bus services.

She added: “We also recognise some of the concerns raised by residents and businesses in relation to road safety and congestion and around availability of parking in the town, particularly at peak times."

She confirmed that due to the large amount of public interest, the ward forum venue was "not suitable" for the discussion and it had been agreed to rearrange the meeting.

A longer drop-in event would be publicised once a date had been finalised, she added.

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