Survey planned on Union Street parking scheme

A survey is set to be carried out to gather residents’ feedback on a possible parking permit scheme for Union Street.

The survey will be carried out by Melksham Town Council and will be distributed to all households on Union Street and four households on Lowbourne to gauge support for resident-only permit bays along Union Street, which could be introduced when Lowbourne Car Park closes.

The car park is due to shut when planned older people’s flats are built on the former library site, leading to a potential loss of parking for local residents.

Following residents’ concerns about the loss of parking provision, a motion for a permit scheme was put forward by Cllr Jennie Westbrook earlier this year and referred to Wiltshire Council’s Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group. The group advised that a residents’ survey would be needed to measure support.

At the Economic Development and Planning Committee meeting on 7th April, Cllr Westbrook asked councillors to instruct town council officers to carry out the survey.

She said, “When we went back to Wiltshire Council, they said great but the reality is that this won’t get done for two to three years because they don’t have capacity however, if Melksham Town Council takes on the survey, we can get it done immediately.”

Cllr Westbrook said there were requirements for the survey, with more than 50% of households needing to respond and, of those, more than half needing to show strong support.

She said, “That is the only way they will get a parking scheme put in there. This issue has bounced around this chamber for at least the last 20 years. This is the closest we have been able to get to there being any kind of potential change to the parking down there.”

Town council officers are expected to hand-deliver the surveys, which residents will be asked to return to the town hall. Wiltshire Council will then analyse the results.