Ilkley Civic Society is concerned to find online a recent Bradford Council consultation document affecting car parks throughout the district, an apparent innocuous ‘Consolidation ‘ order but for what purpose?
No ‘background’ is provided and no ‘history ‘ and paper copies are only noted as being available at City Hall and Bingley Library despite many of the locations being some distance from these two sites. The ‘Statement of Reasons’ is tacked on at the end of the document and advises us that the order is to raise parking charges in some car parks and introduce charges in some currently free car parks, decisions already announced.
The initial list of locations gives in many cases street names without identifying city , town or village name (as does the ‘Statement of Reasons’) and in some cases not fully describing the name. One location refers to ‘Denton Rd previously named ‘Lido’’ , has the council already decided the town Lido has already ceased to exist. The town’s new lido group has been notified of this issue.
The maps are not fully titled with place names and in some cases only local knowledge will determine where they are. Many are dated ‘Consolidation 2015’ or drawn 2015 or 2017 so are likely to be out of date.
The Lido map hatching includes most of the grassed areas and the lido itself, are these planned for parking areas?
The South Hawksworth St car park map hatching includes one of the few grassed areas, the toilets plus adjacent paved areas and some public highway as parking areas?
No map exists for the Railway Rd car park although it is on the list of streets.
Ilkley Civic Society has experienced this type of poor drafting in the past with Traffic Orders which leaves them wide open to challenge at a later date.
We must ask what is the real intention of Bradford Council with this order, is it to create large new areas of parking in the town on grassed and other areas or is its purpose just part of the introduction of the already announced increased parking charges , we cannot tell from this far from transparent document.
We urge as many people or organisations in the town to object to this order (by 7th June) unless more clarity is provided by the council to whom this letter is addressed. Currently Ilkley Civic Society intend to object to this order because of the many weaknesses, errors that it contains and its total lack of clarity.
ICS 23.05.24
Bradford Council consultations can be viewed on its website at www.bradford.gov.uk/consultations/current-consultations/consultation-and-engagement/