Let’s have some free parking for us
Your report on fears that Rother may raise their parking charges again makes many of us wonder if they are content with Battle becoming solely a tourist town with no concern for local residents and the viability of High Street shops. There are so few free parking spaces in the town that people find they have to go elsewhere for their shopping; it’s free all over Hailsham, for instance!. Why should residents have to pay these exorbitant charges just to pick up a prescription, get a newspaper, or post a parcel? Rother DC are failing the Battle community, where shopkeepers pay their rates but, with these high parking charges, are encouraging customers to go elsewhere.
Rother DC should organise a couple of hours every day with free parking for local people, as is done in so many other towns. Local shops would get much more trade as Battle and district residents started using them more. The High Street shops would remain vibrant with tills ringing and no forced closures.
Come on Rother, let’s give it a try!
Tom Foy
Battle & Bexhill UK Independence Party