Parking rules to be relaxed

Rules that stop people from parking in Bingham town centre bays on market day could be relaxed.

Drivers cannot park in bays in Bingham Market Place from 6am-6pm on a Thursday to allow traders to set up and clear away their stalls.

Rushcliffe Borough Council said it was considering relaxing the rules to allow parking after 4pm.

Councillors, business owners and residents in Bingham have been calling for the change to allow drivers to park in the bays earlier on Thursdays as stallholders have usually packed away by 4pm.

Drivers have reported being ticketed for parking in empty bays on market day before 6pm.

Business owners have said they were losing out because the rules contributed to a lack of parking in the town centre on a Thursday afternoon.

Town and borough councillor Mrs Maureen Stockwood has appealed to the borough council for the change.

She said: “The town council wanted more bays to be available for members of the public when the market moves away in the early afternoon.”

The rules would also restrict parking in the Market Place bays to two hours to encourage a turnover of traffic.

“This will stop them parking all day and getting a bus into town,” said Mrs Stockwood.

A spokesman for Rushcliffe Borough Council said it was an issue that had been raised with the council and it was it being considered. They said no decisions had been made.