The Alun Cairns Barry Town Test Has Finally Arrived

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

As they say on TV shows:

Previously On This blog....

The Vale of Glamorgan council in 2015 proposed introducing car parking charges in the area. This was successfully resisted. The particular focus was on Barry Town. It was felt that car park charges would damage businesses in the area as people would either not come at all or would just go in, quickly do their business and get out again. Thus there would not be benefit from any passing trade.

As I mentioned previously for a town the size of Barry car parking charges do not work. Whilst there are other reasons for it's decline car parking charges is one factor in the urban tragedy that is Bridgend Town.

And as I previously explained on the blog one of the people who was against these charges was actually blog villain and Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns who was a Vale Assembly Member at the time and whose parliamentary constituency is in the borough.

The web page is here:

http://www.barryanddistrictnews.co.uk/news/10291008.Vale_of_Glamorgan_car_parking_
charges__tax_on_the_high_street____AM/

And let me be clear here (pause for dramatic effect) Alun Cairns was right.

I agree with Alun Cairns.

Now read on...

Vale of Glamorgan Council are trying again. They go the firm Capita to report on the issue and they basically proposed that the first hour was free but tiered charges from then on. This is going out to consultation now until next month.

Businesses in the town have demonstrated against it already. For the reasons to objecting to the charges in 2015 have not changed now.

And so Alun Cairns what is your position now on car parking in Barry Town now?

After all nothing has changed between 2015 and 2018.....except in Labour were the in power in 2015 and now Vale Of Glamorgan council is run by a Conservative led coalition.

The test Alun Cairns has finally arrived....and your answer is?

Until the next time.