THE mayor of Cirencester has been appointed as the chair of a Cotswold District Council (CDC) parking board, established to address concerns about parking capacity in the town.

Cllr Mark Harris, CDC Abbey ward member, was keen to take on the role and has already outlined the new board’s aims.

He said: “We want to improve parking capacity in Cirencester both in the short and longer term. We also want to ensure that the public is made aware of all the parking options available in the town and that they get to know about new solutions as soon as they emerge.

“Finally, we also want to promote alternative methods of travel, including the use of public transport and healthy options such as walking and cycling.

He explained: “The board comprises members and officers of the council and we will be working with key stakeholders - including the town council, the chamber of commerce, and the civic society – to find ways to alleviate the heavy demand for parking spaces at peak times.

“We are especially keen to ensure that we get our communications right – it is important that the public has a comprehensive understanding of the work going on to improve the situation, and we will be issuing updates on a regular basis.”

Cllr Harris continued to say the board is looking forward to a meeting with key stakeholders in early next month to explain its rationale and enlist their help.

“Together we can address this issue - and the more we can get people to rally behind our efforts the better things will be,” he added.