I WOULD like to express my concern about the proposal to build a multi-storey car park in the centre of Cirencester, which I had hoped would quietly fade away.

It seems to me that this proposal is wrong for several reasons and, if followed through, is likely to be a decision that Cirencester will come to regret.

Any multi-storey car park in the centre of Cirencester is likely to be mainly accessed during peak times.

The roads of Cirencester are not suited to having a large influx of traffic over a short period of time.

I can envisage daily chaos on London Road, Dyer Street, Lewis Lane and Victoria Road, and surrounding streets.

It is unlikely that the car park would visually enhance the town, and inevitable that it would be expensive to build, run, and maintain.

Cirencester has been fortunate to have successful businesses which have expanded within its boundaries.

This is to be welcomed.

It is good for the town and for the residents of the town, bringing vibrancy and increasing economic activity.

However the traffic that is generated has caused significant problems in finding sufficient parking places for the employees and for the other residents of the town.

I have just read that the idea of a park and ride facility has been rejected.

I note the reasons given for this, but I believe that it still makes more sense to build a car park in a location slightly outside the town’s boundaries, which could be easily accessed by those commuting from outside Cirencester.

Transport from the site could be provided through a Park and Ride type of service.

A suitable location could be South Cerney Airfield.

While I realise this is an active military base, it is not completely “green belt” land, it is publically owned, and the annual vintage vehicle show demonstrates that there is some flexibility in the use of this land.

We also need to be aware that, in the not too distant future, utonomous vehicles are almost certain to be developed, and that the use of cars and car parking facilities are likely to be very different.

It would be a great shame to build an expensive multi-storey car park, only for it to become a white elephant.

CJ Goldie

Cirencester