Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP recently met with representatives from the Chipping Campden Business Forum and Chipping Campden Town Council to discuss the continuing problems surrounding car parking in the town.

Sir Geoffrey last met to discuss this important issue in January 2017 where it was widely agreed the High Street and town centre’s parking is over-congested at times. The Business Forum has carried extensive research into parking behaviour in the town over this time. Across three separate periods, parking capacity in the town has been measured and it has been discovered that in the summer it can exceed 90% - which makes parking for visitors and residents extremely difficult.

After a constructive discussion, two principal issues have arisen for any solution. First, the cost. A traffic regulation order could cost in the region of £12-15,000. Second, displacement i.e. where can the cars go if certain parts of the town having time limited parking.

The business forum has proposed a sensible ‘disc’ scheme whereby drivers would display a permit on their windshield whilst parked for a limited period of say two or three hours so that in particularly congested parts of the town, such as the High Street, parking is time sensitive.

The Town Council has agreed to consider these proposals to calculate how workable they could be at which point the two groups and Sir Geoffrey will meet later this year in November to find out what progress has been made.