Marsh Street Car Park Rothwell: New car parking charges would cause 'complete and utter chaos' in Leeds town

Leeds City Council revealed plans to introduce charges at the car park on Marsh Street at the end of last year.

But when the Yorkshire Evening Post visited this week, it seemed that many people were opposed to the idea.

They included Mohammed Naseem, the owner of Naseem’s Chemists. His shop, on Commercial Street, backs onto the car park.

“The charges wouldn’t be very helpful for us at all,” he said. “They would be particularly bad for our elderly patients.

“All of the businesses in the area are opposed to them. The town centre would be detrimentally affected and they would disadvantage a lot of people.”

Leeds City Council is set to make a final decision on the proposed charges at a budget setting meeting later this month.

It comes as the authority faces a £60m black hole in its finances, with a desperate need to make savings.

The council has proposed a sweeping series of measures, including axing 750 jobs, ending the lease on a well-loved museum and introducing car parking charges at sites across the city.

The authority must make the savings in order to set a balanced budget, which is a legal requirement. If it cannot do that, it would effectively be declaring bankruptcy.

Other council-owned car parks that could see charges introduced are Barley Hill Road in Garforth, Netherfield Road in Guiseley, and Fink Hill in Horsforth.

There are also plans to introduce parking charges at the Wilderness and Station Gardens car parks in Wetherby.

In addition, five popular green spaces including Roundhay Park face the introduction of charges.

But critics have argued that the authority should make up the shortfall in other ways.

Mr Naseem said: “The council gets enough money from the rates. It should be better at managing its financial affairs and find other ways of generating revenue.

“What about the people who come into Rothwell for work? It’s an extra tax on them. Why should they have to pay even more if they’re helping businesses to run?”

Shops in the town have been encouraging residents to complete a consultation on the plans, including Gray’s of Rothwell.

The café has been running successfully for four years, but its owners said they feared the plans “could have an impact on the high street”.

Defending the cost-saving measures, Coun James Lewis, the leader of Leeds City Council, said in December: “As is increasingly being seen around the country, councils have only very difficult choices left to use to balance the budgets, meet the needs of residents and not risk being driven to the point of financial distress.”

He conceded that the authority was aware the measures would be “unpopular”, but that it was left with no other choice.

The Rothwell ward is represented by three Lib Dems, all of whom are opposed to the charges on Marsh Street.

Coun Stewart Golton said: “We think this would be hugely detrimental, primarily because we have really poor buses services. People who are older or disabled really need to be able to access the shops with their car.

“Charging them would mean they might stay away from the town centre, instead of using it as a social hub – and our traders would suffer as a consequence.”

His colleague, Coun Diane Chapman, said: “There would be on-street parking, the smaller car parks would be completely full, and it would be like Christmas Eve at Morrison’s car park every day.

“It would be complete and utter chaos, and everyone is against it.”

And the charges aren’t the only controversial measure set for Rothwell under the council’s budget proposals. It is also planning to “repurpose” Dolphin Manor Care Home, on Stone Brig Lane, as a “recovery hub”.

This is likely to mean a step-down service for the NHS to get patients out of hospital, but Coun Golton said this could have “a huge impact on the lives” of the current residents.

Meanwhile, in another recent blow for Rothwell, the disused council offices on Marsh Street were sold at auction, despite a campaign for them to be transformed into a community centre.

Coun Golton added: “Local people just want a little bit of fairness. If all we get is cuts but no investment, then I think people are justified in thinking this is the forgotten town of Leeds.”