Image Source: Google Earth, taken November 2022
Oggy Bloggy Ogwr doesn’t receive any subsidy and isn’t funded by the BBC. If you like what I’m doing here and think this work is important in keeping locals informed of what’s happening in Bridgend, consider a donation. Â One-off or monthly; as little or as much as you want. Click the links below, or full details are available here.
At this month’s full council meeting, Cllr. Tim Wood (Ind, Bridgend Central) asked about the council’s car parking strategy for Bridgend town centre.
While accepting that the town centre has mixed uses, Cllr. Wood said we shouldn’t lose sight of Bridgend’s position as a retail destination.
He listed the number of free parking spaces at out-of-town sites such as Bridgend Designer Outlet, supermarkets and Bridgend Retail Park, which number 3,300. By contrast, Bridgend town centre has 782 spaces, having lost two multi-story car parks at Cheapside over the last few years.
He described the Welsh Government’s “modal shift” policy (encouraging people to use public transport or walk) as not being “grounded in the real world”.
The current policy penalises town centres and is increasingly unworkable in light of major town centre developments. Cllr. Wood cited the new Bridgend College campus as an example of a new development set to add to existing parking pressures.
Joint Cabinet Member for Communities, Cllr. Eugene Caparros (Lab, Brackla East & Coychurch), noted the importance of ensuring the right infrastructure is in place to support town centre regeneration projects – including both car parking and public transport.
He told councillors that a new car parking study will be undertaken sometime this year.
