COUNCILLORS have voted to continue offering free parking in Malmesbury town centre despite rising costs.

At a meeting of Malmesbury Town Council’s planning and environment committee, members voted to enter into a funding agreement with Wiltshire Council to suspend parking fees in selected car parks from October 1 until September 30, 2025.

The decision means drivers will benefit from continued free parking for two hours in the Station Road car park and free parking on bank holidays at both Station Road and Cross Hayes.

Town councillors decided to continue with the scheme despite the cost rising 23 per cent from £9,478 last year to £11,676.55 this year.

Members of the committee also requested to receive regular data on how the car park is used throughout the year to monitor the uptake of the scheme.

Free parking at Station Road has been running for several years and is designed to draw shoppers and visitors into the town.

The policy will be reassessed once again next year when the current funding arrangement comes to an end.

Wiltshire Council offers all town councils the opportunity to fund parking schemes in their area for either one or two hours of free parking.

Each council must decide if they are willing to subsidise these policies.

In other news this week, town councillors voiced their opposition to plans to bring in parking restrictions at Malmesbury’s leisure centre.

Wiltshire Council recently held a consultation on a proposal to introduce a Traffic Regulation Order at The Activity Zone in Bremilham Road, Malmesbury.

This would limit drivers to three hours of parking.

At a meeting of Malmesbury Town Council’s planning and environment committee on Tuesday, October 15, councillors agreed on a response opposing the move.

However, Wiltshire Council has said that customers have had trouble using the leisure centre as individuals have been parking there all day.

Officers are now assessing feedback received through the consultation.

At the planning and environment committee meeting it was agreed that the town’s response would be: “Malmesbury Town Council planning and environment committee is not supportive of these changes.

“Malmesbury is a historic market town and has limited parking for both residents and visitors.

“No evidence has been provided on the necessity to limit parking, and the car park, to our knowledge, is rarely used to capacity.

“Current use of this car park, we feel, is not to the detriment of Activity Zone patrons.”

The proposed order would be in force from Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm with no return permitted within three hours.

Councillor Tamara Reay, cabinet member for transport and assets at Wiltshire Council, told the Standard that customers have had trouble using the leisure centre as individuals have been parking in the car park all day.

“Customers using Malmesbury’s leisure centre have had difficulty using the centre as there are currently no parking restrictions in place and people have been parking all day in the car park, reducing capacity for leisure centre users,” she said.

“The TRO consultation was to seek feedback on a proposal to introduce a maximum stay of three hours to prevent all-day parking and ensure customers wanting to use the leisure centre can park.

“The consultation closed on Monday, October 21, and officers are now assessing the feedback received.”

Meanwhile, Councillor Gavin Grant, Wiltshire councillor for Malmesbury, said: “It’s important that those using The Activity Zone who need to drive there have a place to park when they arrive.

“We must avoid jamming up surrounding streets and inconveniencing residents.

“The centre of Malmesbury is badly served for parking.

“The cost to park is expensive, and in most places, it’s also time-limited.

“I am in touch with the council’s parking team to check why this action is being taken at The Activity Zone and to confirm that this plan is the right response.”