Parking charges plan for 13 parks and open spaces across Bristol set to be scaled back

Controversial proposals to bring in car parking fees at parks across Bristol look likely to be scaled back to exclude smaller beauty spots and ‘those with access issues’ such as Stoke Park.

As previously reported, the local authority wants to start charging drivers at more green spaces under its annual budget proposals to help plug a £19.5million shortfall.

Pay machines are already being introduced at Blaise Castle, Oldbury Court and Ashton Court but budget papers rubber-stamped by cabinet in January said the intention was now to expand these to the remaining 13 car parks managed by the council’s parks service to rake in £80,000 a year.

Those listed are: Redcatch Park, St Annes, Dundridge, Netham, Horfield Common/Ardargh, Eastville Park, Kings Weston Estate/Shirehampton, Crews Hole Woodland, Stoke Park, Hengrove Park, Bedminster Down, Eastwood Farm and Muller Road.

At a budget scrutiny meeting, Cllr Ellie King, cabinet member for public health, communities and Bristol One City shed more light on what is being planned, saying that the areas set for charges will probably be whittled down.

She hinted that smaller parks and Stoke Park maybe taken out of the plan.

Labour Cllr Tim Rippington asked Cllr King: “If we put people who are on low incomes off coming to parks because we’re charging and there is no public transport alternative, we will be stopping them from going to parks.

“So will we be looking at public transport in our review?”

Cllr King replied: “Yes, the list for parks that have potential for development into car parks is quite long but we have every expectation that the list will be much shorter after we’ve done that scoping feasibility.”

She said issues such as public transport links, the steepness of surrounding roads and traffic displacement would all be assessed when deciding which areas to include, and that the public would be consulted.

Green group leader Cllr Heather Mack asked if one of the considerations would be the type of routes to get to the parking, giving the example that every road to Stoke Park is a residential street.

Labour Cllr King said at the meeting on Tuesday, January 25: “The parks we’re thinking about mostly are the big ones that need that resource to be put in and where there aren’t the barriers there are in some of the smaller ones or those with access issues such as Stoke Park.”

Budget papers going to full council for final decision on February 15 say: “The purpose of the proposal is to implement traffic regulation orders that will introduce car parking charges at a number of car parks located in Bristol’s parks and green spaces.

“The service is introducing car parking charges at Blaise Estate, Oldbury Court Estate and Ashton Court and wishes to bring in the remaining car parks which the parks service manages.”

The proposals have caused confusion because some of the locations listed do not have existing car parks, and the local authority provided little additional information about whether it will be building new ones or making users pay in current, informal lay-bys.

But after being approached by BristolWorld, a city council spokesperson revealed the locations of car parks where it was unclear - car park off Sir John’s Lane at Stoke Park, off Crew’s Hole Road, close to Old Lamb Close, for Crew’s Hole, access off Wyndham Crescent for Eastwood Farm and access off Shirehampton Road for Shirehampton Park.