Powys County Council's Economy, Residents, and Communities Scrutiny Committee is set to meet this week for an update on the car parking review group and some proposed solutions.

The focus of the meeting will be on the Car Parking Review, with key updates presented by Matt Perry, Interim Director (Environment), Shaun James, Senior Manager Highways Technical, Business & Environmental Services, and Tony Caine, Traffic & Travel Manager.

The Car Park Review began in December 2023, with three themed groups meeting individually to discuss various aspects facilitated by Atkins. The upcoming January 11 meeting will see the scrutiny committee review comments from these working groups, covering three central themes.

These themes include Tariff Structures, Enforcement and Non-Pay and Display Car Parks.

The working groups have come up with some issues and solutions for all three themes. These include:

Issues raised under Tariff Structures revolve around the impact of cost on residents, businesses, and the increase in illegal parking. The inability of some to afford parking permits, particularly those in low-income situations, has also been highlighted.

Some solutions proposed include giving the community more say over what hours are charged for parking, removal of charges on Sundays, improved signage and free access for a certain time period to attract visitors away from supermarkets.

The working group have also explored solutions around sign up to nationwide parking apps, allowing visitors to pay via their mobile phones, transfer of assets to alternative organisations and more fair enforcement of the rules across the county.

The Car Park Review group was established as a cross-party initiative to examine various aspects of car parking, including charges, management, town center vitality, and active travel schemes. The group comprises members from different political parties, town councils, and local businesses where car parks are located.

The list of members includes representatives from Welsh Liberal Democrats, Welsh Labour, Welsh Conservatives, Plaid Cymru, and Independents, along with various town councils and business associations. The inclusive approach aims to gather insights from diverse perspectives and ensure a comprehensive review of the parking situation across Powys.

As the scrutiny committee delves into the details of the Car Park Review, residents and businesses are hopeful that the outcomes will pave the way for a more efficient and accessible parking system, addressing the concerns voiced by the community.