A pause of charging in Stonehouse car parks will now be considered by the district council.

Councillors from the town successfully added the option to the council’s parking review at a meeting at Ebley Mill last night.

They want free parking for Stonehouse to put it on the same footing as other small market towns in the district like Nailsworth - residents and traders of which campaigned against plans for charges earlier this year.

But councillor Mattie Ross only proposed a temporary end to charges while the council reviews how it can boost market towns in the Stroud district, as prompted by public outcry to the recent charging proposals.

"Show you care about my town," she asked of her council colleagues as she made the proposal at the Thursday evening meeting.

“It’s not fair. We get the rough end here in Stonehouse.”

She argued Stonehouse was unlike the other towns where the council charges in its car parks: Painswick and Stroud.

“There is so much space in Stonehouse car parks. You can always find a space, unlike Stroud and Painswick where there are congestion problems.”

Another Stonehouse councillor, Chris Brine, called for “parity” for Stonehouse in a passionate speech, accusing the district council’s policy on car parks as “putting parish against parish, town against town.”

Surprise first greeted the proposal at the Thursday night meeting, then caution.

“I don’t like rabbits out of hats like this,” responded Minchinhampton councillor Nick Hurst.

“You’re asking me to support something I don’t necessarily disagree with in principle.

“But this council has just gone through the folly of a major review of car parking. It’s now shot itself in the foot with the loss of revenue new charges were supposed to bring.”

Likewise, the council’s outgoing chief executive, David Hagg, warned of the implications for council cash, warning councillors to “be very, very careful.”

The Stonehouse proposal will now be put before all district councillors at a meeting later this month, along with the rest of the council’s car parking review.

With charges for car parks in Nailsworth, Dursley, Wotton-under-Edge and Stratford Park now dropped, councillors will be asked to support:

  • An effort to free up spots in Stratford Park by limiting long stay to 12 hours for cars and 2 hours for buses
  • Free parking in Painswick and Stonehouse after 3pm
  • Long stay parking near Stroud and Stonehouse stations could also be extended to 72 hours to facilitate more weekend trips by rail