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‘Street parking charge plan is a tax on worship’

Published date: 16 June 2011 |
Published by: Hayley Collins

 

CHURCH leaders have branded proposed on-street parking charges in Wrexham “a tax on worship”.

Michael Brain, secretary and church deacon at Chester Street Baptist Church, says the proposal by council chiefs to introduce car parking charges for on-street bays in the town centre would create problems for wedding guests and mourners who attend the church during the week.

He said: “This is going to really impact us during the week when we have weddings and funerals.

“There is a strong possibility that there will be difficulties for people who will struggle to park – it might put some people off coming.”

The church already suffers parking problems on Sundays when shoppers use the currently free on-street parking by the church to avoid the Sunday parking charges at the nearby Waterworld and library car parks.

Over the years Mr Brain, 74, has been lobbying the council to scrap the Sunday parking charges.

He added: “For a number of years we have been very concerned about the Sunday parking charges. People going shopping park on the street where it’s still free, meaning the spaces which would be used by people going to worship are taken by people avoiding the parking charges.

“Most of our congregation is retired and we have two folk in their 90s – it’s vital we can park on the road for free.

“If they decide to bring in these on street parking charges it will be a tax on worship.”

Under the proposals motorists would have to pay 50p for 30 minutes and £1 per hour to park in the on street bays, which are currently free for 30 minutes during the day.

The controversial plans have been met by a backlash from town centre traders who say it would put shoppers off and drive them out of business.

The proposals have now gone out for public consultation, which closes on July 15, and they will go before the council’s executive board in September when a final decision will be made. A Wrexham Council spokesman said: “We are currently consulting on the proposals to introduce on-street parking charges and the views expressed by the church leaders will be taken into consideration as part of that consultation.”

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  1. Posted by: a cahill at 10:23 on 16 June 2011 Report

    That the last thing the officers and cllrs needed...the wrath of the God squad will bring down on them hellfire and brimstone thats your lot for the rest of your days and just you wait until judgement day !!

  2. Posted by: Roland Cleth at 10:48 on 16 June 2011 Report

    This will the same church which is, literally, a stone's throw from two car parks?

  3. Posted by: tommy at 14:29 on 16 June 2011 Report

    Anybody who counts "worshipping" as a pastime needs certifying.God is an invention of history.We have moved on a bit since ignorent minds and political cunning combined to invent a higher authority.I regard any fulltime church employee as unemployed,just like the armed forces,journalists,royalty,footballers,actors and government,combined they produce nothing only hot air and misery.

  4. Posted by: toolio at 16:45 on 16 June 2011 Report

    Yes, I'm the same, I stopped believing in fairy tales when I was eight, unfortunately alot of people believe in them all thier life, in particular one great big huge one.

  5. Posted by: ericcartman1 at 19:49 on 16 June 2011 Report

    Speedy services in that church, thought it was only half hour free parking by there.

  6. Posted by: hangmansknotinn at 19:54 on 16 June 2011 Report

    Tommy, are you a congenital idiot or were you taught to be that way?

  7. Posted by: tommy at 20:32 on 16 June 2011 Report

    with a name like hangmansknot I would have thought congenital idiot should be more appropriate for your good self...but can you tell me what the people in all of the above mentioned professions actually do other than produce nothing and murder people.

  8. Posted by: tommy at 20:37 on 16 June 2011 Report

    ..or am I to assume that you are a football fanatic royalists who believes everything he reads in the papers,worships every sunday,loves celebs and thinks our troops in Afghan and Libya are real hero's as opposed to poorly paid oil industyry mercenaries.

  9. Posted by: Sharon35 at 21:13 on 16 June 2011 Report

    I live in Holywell, When I have used the Church on the well hill I have used Pay and Display carparks. I really don't think it is a problem. When these churches were built there was no conjestion, we have to be tolerant that the roads are no longer suitable for parking. Just be grateful that you have carparks near by.

  10. Posted by: watchdog at 21:34 on 16 June 2011 Report

    For the record, there is no congestion on Chester St nor any other part of town for that matter. This tax is being introduced in the hope that it will raise money for the councillors to spend. Wrexham people have already said no. It remains for Cllrs to listen. Elections May 2012

  11. Posted by: Hen ddraig at 21:58 on 16 June 2011 Report

    Tommy:- Your mask is slipping, you must be an oil industry insider to know about the oil in Afghanistan.

  12. Posted by: daisymay at 22:21 on 16 June 2011 Report

    The anti Church brigade obviously agree with the on street parking. I wonder how you will feel when the car park charges go up also. Believe you me , it will happen. How much is it now to park at the Library car park?

  13. Posted by: hangmansknotinn at 22:56 on 16 June 2011 Report

    Well how do you suggest we get by without an army and a government?

  14. Posted by: InMyOpinion at 18:12 on 17 June 2011 Report

    You can scream and shout all you want, Wrexham cllrs will do as they wish, not the people of Wrexham, they dont listen now and they wont listen in the future. They dont belive what we say, they are the experts in these things, and when the town centre shops start clossing for good they will blame anything but themselves.get used to it.

  15. Posted by: InMyOpinion at 18:14 on 17 June 2011 Report

    Like the old saying goes " you can fight City hall, but you'll never win."

  16. Posted by: liberty1 at 20:06 on 17 June 2011 Report

    IMO , " old saying "? never heard it before , were does it come from?

  17. Posted by: InMyOpinion at 01:51 on 18 June 2011 Report

    Hi lib, dunno, never looked it up and but it seems to be true with the way things are being run, they even tell governments where to go, so if they cant win it must be true... all it needs now is the signage changing.

 

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