PARKING in Cornwall is a popular topic — more than 4,000 people have completed the parking survey in the first two weeks alone.

Cornwall Council’s town parking review is asking people for their opinion about their experience either as a resident, business owner or visitor parking in Bude, Falmouth and Penryn, Newquay, Penzance and Newlyn, St Ives, Truro and Wadebridge.

The online surveys began on January 18. So far the council has received almost 140 emails and handed out hundreds of paper questionnaires. Altogether over 4,000 people have given their views so far.

The next phase of the review is to ask people personally in each of the survey towns, what they think and feel about on-street parking. This face-to-face phase is taking place between February 10 and 24, and will be carried out by ‘FieldForce’ on behalf of the council.

The review is asking people: Do you experience difficulties parking on-street near your home or business? Do vehicles parked all day make it difficult to access short stay parking near shops? Do you think there is a need for more loading bays for businesses?

Parking is a key part of managing traffic and the economic vitality of Cornwall’s towns.

The council wants to involve the community to better understand parking issues — it is one of the most common subjects of complaint it receives.

The parking review should also provide a town wide picture, rather than dealing with one individual parking issue at a time.

Bert Biscoe, cabinet member for transport at Cornwall Council, said: “The response to the survey so far indicates great interest and a desire to try and find solutions to problems. The solutions will not be solutions unless everybody agrees they are solutions!

“In doing this survey we are all contributing to understanding the problem. It is very important that in understanding the problem and finding the solutions we look at the whole-town picture, rather than dealing with one issue at a time.”

The results of the survey will be presented to the council’s transport policy advisory committee in May, and will be used to identify parking proposals for the towns which could be implemented as early as autumn 2017.

In Bude, the face-to-face phase started yesterday (Wednesday) and further sessions in the town run on Tuesday, February 16; Friday, February 19; Saturday, February 20; and Monday, February 22.

The surveys and more information can be found on the council’s website: www.cornwall.gov.uk/parkingreview