DUE to the amount of people requesting information regarding the new car park regimes, and the proposed new commuter car park, I felt it was necessary to write an update. I hope to advise readers of the situation, at least as far as the Ely Traders Associ

DUE to the amount of people requesting information regarding the new car park regimes, and the proposed new commuter car park, I felt it was necessary to write an update. I hope to advise readers of the situation, at least as far as the Ely Traders Association (ETA) understands it.

The council is trying to accommodate all relevant parties - residents, shop/office workers, commuters and shoppers - and the ETA has been asked for input into this process but, I fear, that there are still some areas for grave concern.

To recap, the commuter car park is scheduled to open in December with the intention that commuters will no longer need to use the city centre car parks, thus relieving the traffic congestion in the town and providing more visitor spaces. To ensure that the commuters use the new car park, as there will be a charge levied, the council will introduce time regimes. This actually equates to 'you may not park for more than 90 minutes between 8am and 10am', thus preventing a commuter parking early morning for the rest of the day.

The two main sectors that stand to be adversely affected by the time regimes are the shop/office workers and the residents..

We can only hope that, with the commuters removed from the city car parks, there will be enough long stay spaces for shop/office workers. It is impossible, however, under the proposed regimes, for a worker to be in the workplace before 8.30am. To solve this problem, the ETA has undertaken a survey to identify how many shop workers fit this criteria, and the council has commented that it will be prepared to issue 'permits' for those affected.

The remaining problem is for the residents that currently need to use the city car parks, as they have no provision for parking near their homes. The ETA has been fighting for these people, and has suggested that a permit should also be issued to these residents, exempting them from the early morning regime.

It is necessary, therefore, for residents who feel that they are in this position to write to the council now. State in your letter that you have no parking provision at your home and wish for a permit to be excused the morning regime. Send your letters to East Cambridgeshire District Council attention of Cllr. T Goodge.

ELAINE GRIFFIN-SINGH

Chairman

Ely Traders Association