Parking charges on Clifton Downs that could ‘inflame tensions’ between residents and van-dwellers are delayed

Plans to introduce car parking charges across the Downs that could “inflame tensions” between residents and van-dwellers have been delayed so a taskforce can look into them. Bristol City Council transport and connectivity policy committee unanimously voted in favour of the proposals going to a cross-party working group instead of agreeing the fees in “principle”, as recommended by officers.

The issue has been a thorny one because of van dwellers staying put on Clifton and Durdham Downs, with many residents saying they have been impacted. A report by council officers to the meeting on Thursday, December 5, said members should introduce parking charges on the Downs.

But councillors unanimously voted in favour of an amendment by Cllr Tim Rippington (Labour, Brislington East) to delegate the issue to the cross-party parking and kerbside strategy task and finish group ahead of any proposals being brought back to the committee. Cllr Nicholas Coombes (Lib Dem, Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze) said: “If you charge for parking on the Downs but not for neighbouring streets then it seems pretty obvious that parking will be displaced to Stoke Bishop, Westbury-on-Trym and Westbury Park.

“Therefore we need to put residents’ parking zones (RPZs) on the streets around the Downs before we can reasonably charge for using the Downs, otherwise it will simply be a problem displaced to less appropriate locations. Putting in parking restrictions that would cause us legally to have to tow the vans away is a really blunt response and clearly we would not do that.

“I understand it is our position that we do not tow vans that someone is living in, nor can we tow a caravan. So what we’re actually doing is just highlighting a tension and inflaming the current situation whereby our residents feel there is a two-tier level of enforcement.

“And if we’re going to go to a place whereby anyone who wishes to drive onto the Downs and park there for a few hours has to pay for a ticket but anyone who wishes to live there for a few months pays absolutely nothing, I understand why we get to that situation. But it’s quite irresponsible to do that deliberately and inflame tensions in that way.”

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Cllr Rob Bryher (Green, St George West) said: “It’s a good idea to charge people to park near the Downs. It’s far preferable to do that than to open more car parks – that just encourages people to use their car to get up there.

“They don’t need their car to get up there, there are many public transport and active travel options available to the public.” Cllr Graham Morris (Conservative, Stockwood) said: “I share Nick’s concerns. You’re creating a situation where people are going to be asked to pay to park to use the Downs and there are people on the Downs who are not paying to be there.

“People will see there is an inequity in that and it will inflame tensions. I also share the concern around the overspill [onto neighbouring roads] because we’re creating problems with what we’re doing here.”

Tabling his amendment, Cllr Rippington said: “We’ve brought forward our amendment because we think introducing charges without knowing what the proposals are for how that would work is putting the cart ahead of the horse. So we should look at this in detail and decide if there are valid proposals for how to charge and whether we should do that, and if so, how, and then bring that back to the committee to approve.”