New £74,000 parking ticket machines to be part of new strategy for Sleaford

A new parking strategy is proposed for Sleaford with revised charges and investment of around £74,000 in new ticket machines to take cashless payments.
Grantham Road car park one of the sites on the periphery of Sleaford town centre that the new strategy is hoped to drive more motorists to use instead. EMN-180810-143809001Grantham Road car park one of the sites on the periphery of Sleaford town centre that the new strategy is hoped to drive more motorists to use instead. EMN-180810-143809001
Grantham Road car park one of the sites on the periphery of Sleaford town centre that the new strategy is hoped to drive more motorists to use instead. EMN-180810-143809001

North Kesteven District Council has employed consultants to come up with a better system designed to better suit the different types of town centre users’ parking needs, whether shopping, working or visiting.

Recommendations are to be considered by the Executive Board tomorrow (Thursday) and if approved by full council should come into force by April.

The aim is to create a more level distribution of car park usage by adjusting prices and discouraging longer stays unless in periphery locations. The report to councillors suggests the strategy could reduce pollution from cross-town traffic and facilitate “park and stride” reducing pressure on the town centre.

New ticket machines for its nine council managed car parks would handle cashless payments, bought with £74,000 from reserves.

Council Leader Richard Wright said the strategy has involved key stakeholders Lincolnshire County Council and Sleaford Town Council and has been discussed by Sleaford Regeneration Group.

He said: “New, modern, machines would enable people to have more options when paying for their stay in the town centre.

“Aspirations set out in the Sleaford masterplan and regeneration plan are for a more pedestrian-friendly town centre, enticing more shoppers and allowing them to move more freely. People being able to park in the appropriate location for their visit would go a considerable way to achieving this.

He saw it as fundamental to the long-term economic viability of the town to remain accessible and easy to use.

Mayor of Sleaford, Coun Grenville Jackson has led an awareness event about the local environment and commented: “Anything that reduces the number of cars that go through the town centre has to be a good thing. You find people driving round in circles unnecessarily. It would be better if people could park at their point of entry into the town.