Stockport Labour Group is calling for the Council to take action on parking in Stockport town centre, including an overhaul of charges for motorists.
The move comes after campaigners launched a petition to have controversial parking company Excel removed from the Peel Centre, which has so far been signed by almost 2,200 residents.
Excel has been accused of unethical practices by campaigners, with a number of people hit with a £60 or £100 ticket for breaching parking regulations. Many drivers have complained that fines have actually been due to the company’s machines either printing registration numbers incorrectly or being out of order at the time of parking.
Labour Councillor Maureen Rowles, who represents the Brinnington and Central ward which covers the town centre, said, “It’s not good enough for the Council’s response to be that the land is privately owned by Peel so they have little control over it.
“This affects a large proportion of visitors to Stockport, and it is no wonder our town struggles to compete with neighbouring retail centres when this is how motorists are treated.
“Other Councils have managed to improve parking, which the Liberal Democrats have failed to do in Stockport, and this has led to major boosts for their local economies. We should be taking action now to improve the experience for shoppers and commuters in Stockport, offering an alternative for drivers and also giving our town centre a much needed boost.”
The Peel Centre uses cameras to take pictures of cars parking, with drivers then required to buy a ticket at a machine which requires their registration number to be input. If that number fails to match with the photographic record from the camera, this often leads to a fine being issued by Excel.