TRADERS in Barry will meet with Vale councillors to discuss controversial plans to introduce parking charges to town centre car parks.

Earlier this year the Vale of Glamorgan council drew up plans to introduce charges for the use of 146 spaces in Barry and 179 spaces in Cowbridge town centres.

Charging to park in Barry's Wyndham Street, Thompson Street and Kendrick Road car parks will raise around £70,000 per year for the authority, but critics have said that the charges will drive shoppers and visitors away from the town centre.

In September, as plans were set to take hold, following feedback received from local traders, residents, and the council’s economy and environment scrutiny committee, a decision was made to re-evaluate some aspects of the proposal, including the possibility of offering periods of free parking.

Tonight (Wednesday, November 4) traders will meet with councillors to raise their concerns.

Vale MP Alun Cairns, who has backed the traders and spearheaded a 5000 signature petition against the plans, said: "The traders and residents in Barry and Cowbridge deserve a great deal of credit in dragging the Vale Council to the table to consult.

"I find it deeply disappointing that it took letters and signatures from hundreds of businesses and thousands of residents just to get the Vale Council into the same room.

“The Vale Council should have consulted before adopting any money making schemes that will have a significant and damaging impact on our most cherished high streets. The feedback from these meetings should play a key role in any future parking policy, and I hope lessons will be learned for future decisions that could impact any community in the Vale.”

Councillor Gwyn John, cabinet member for leisure said: "There are several consideration for the Vale of Glamorgan Council in determining the management of traffic in Barry’s town centre.

"The economic imperative to facilitate shoppers and visitors needs to be considered alongside the needs of local traders who require access to their shops.

"The council also needs to ensure a fluid turnover of cars and vehicles coming into the town to give as many people as possible the opportunity to access the town centre which will clearly have an economic benefit.

"Our meeting with the traders on Holton Road is very much part of a process that will hopefully deliver a fair and favourable outcome to the residents of Barry, traders and visitors to the town."