A SURVEY of Ilkley’s new parking scheme has found that around 40 per cent of people are broadly satisfied with it while 60 per cent are unhappy.

Ilkley Town Council launched its survey in October to gauge public reaction to the Bradford Council overhaul which was put into place in July.

In total 220 people responded to the survey - and their responses will now provide the basis for a submission by the town council to Bradford’s review of the scheme. The consultation will run until Saturday, January 18.

The changes have provoked widespread criticism and anger, but in presenting the survey’s findings to a meeting of Ilkley Town Council this week Cllr Tom Franks said it showed some people supported the scheme and some objected to it. He said they needed to counteract the impression that the whole town was opposed to it.

“There are plenty of people who do support the parking scheme,” he said.

According to the survey’s findings the key issues of concern are “excessive” numbers of business permits, the need to increase the permitted length of stay and the need for free parking during evenings and weekends.

The report says: “Some 20 per cent specifically mentioned problems arising from the allocation of special business (worker) permits to residential streets as the cause of their dissatisfaction. Ten per cent of responses commented favourably on the convenience of 1/2hour free parking, whilst others thought the free-parking period should be longer, in order to increase footfall in town businesses. Ten per cent thought that the stay times should be increased from two to four hours, and that even this was not long enough, particularly for some leisure activities. Around 20 per cent suggested that weekend and evening parking charges should be abolished completely.

“A range of other issues were raised in the various responses, including increased parking congestion just outside the scheme areas, in locations such as Grove Road, Kings Road and Wheatley Road. The need for additional parking spaces was also raised by around 10 per cent of responders, including specifically for rail commuters. The needs of tradespeople and an increase in the number of visitor permits were also mentioned.”

The paper presented by Cllr Franks said: “In January 2020 BMDC has issued another consultation on parking. ITC is pleased to note that this includes the intention to continue the review of the allocation of worker permits, to address increased congestion in locations just outside the scheme area and to increase the stay time significantly in some areas. We note that the consultation also invites comments on specific matters such as extending the stay time but not on the abolition of evening and weekend parking charges.”

The report will be submitted to the Bradford Council consultation.