Bim Afolami MP, the Member of Parliament for Hitchin & Harpenden, has written to the Leader of St. Albans City and District Council after receiving communications from residents concerned about the Council’s plans to axe free parking for Harpenden Leisure Centre users.
Leisure Centre users can currently take advantage of up to two hours free parking in the Council’s Amenbury Lane Car Park, but the Council have announced that this is under review – with plans to charge Leisure Centre users for parking and bring in new evening parking charges in the car park. Residents have expressed their concern to Mr Afolami that the new charges could discourage people from using the Leisure Centre and keeping fit and healthy.
Bim Afolami MP said,
“Residents are rightly concerned about plans to end free parking for Harpenden Leisure Centre users. In a time of cost of living pressures, I believe that we have a responsibility to do all we can to keep charges for residents low and introducing parking charges for Leisure Centre users is a clear step in the wrong direction.
“The Council seem be justifying this rise in parking charges as being intended to discourage people from driving to the Leisure Centre. We should be making it as simple as possible for people to get to and use Harpenden Leisure Centre – which was after all built to be a public amenity for all local residents to utilise and enjoy. I would urge the Liberal Democrats to think again about putting up an unnecessary barrier for Leisure Centre users.”
NOTE TO EDITORS
The full text of Mr Afolami’s letter to District Council Leader Chris White can be found below:
Dear Chris,
Proposals to change car parking charges for Leisure Centre users
I trust this letter is well received.
I have received a number of communications from residents relating to plans by the Liberal Democrat Administration at St. Albans City & District Council to end the two hours of free parking currently available to Harpenden Leisure Centre users at Amenbury Lane.
The Leisure Centre was designed to provide a cost-effective amenity for local residents to use. It provides a local way to exercise and keep fit and healthy. Adding additional barriers for Harpenden residents to use the Leisure Centre seems to run counter to its purpose and will no doubt discourage people from visiting and making use of its fantastic facilities. Indeed, it is extremely disappointing to read in the Herts Advertiser that a Council spokesperson is justifying this price rise as being intended to discourage people from driving to the Leisure Centre.
In a time of cost of living pressures, I believe that we have a responsibility to do all we can to keep charges for residents low. I would therefore encourage the Council to think again about whether these new charges – as well as other car parking charge increases in Harpenden – are the right approach.
I look forward to receiving your response and hope that you will review this decision.
Kind regards,
Bim
