No Car Park and Bus subsidy link, says Wiltshire Council

Wiltshire's Conservatives have done a swift about turn on the link Councillors have long suggested between Bus Subsidies and Car park charges. After Lib Dem pressure, the Council admitted there is no formal link. Cllr Howard Marshall received the promise that no matter what happens to the income from car parks, there would be no reduction in the Wiltshire bus service without a full public consultation.

Howard Marshall said "Conservative Councillors have long hidden behind the threat of bus subsidy cuts if we force them to lower their car park charges. In answering my question at November Full Council, the Conservatives finally revealed this link does not exist. Now we can get on with discussing the real issue of better car park charges, without anymore Conservative confusion on the issue."

Conservative-run Wiltshire Council is experiencing a big drop in their expected car park income, and the Lib Dems are continuing to push for changes to the charges to encourage people back into town centres, like the first 30 minutes parking free, as well as schemes to improve the shops on offer.