EXTRA short-stay car parking could be available in Cardigan if the current site at Pendre in the town centre was opened up.

Ceredigion County Council is looking at possible changes to the permit-only scheme currently operating at the 22-space car park. Such a move would ‘free-up’ much-needed parking spaces for shoppers as well as benefiting disabled drivers. It also has the potential to generate more income for the authority.

“At the moment you buy a ticket for a year but they want to change it to a short stay car park and the idea is being put out to consultation,” said Cllr John Adams-Lewis at a meeting of the town council

“I know many traders park there and are against the idea but often the car park is half empty.

“If we do go down the route of short-term parking, I would like to have an hour free in the morning to attract shoppers and help businesses. Whether we would get that with the cuts having to be made at Ceredigion, I don’t know. ”

Cllr Shan Williams said: “What will help the high street most is people being able to park close by. The site is convenient, flat and disabled people could park there while the traders could park somewhere else. It seems common sense to me.

“If the high street is to compete with the out of town supermarkets, you have to play them at their own game. Convenient parking near to the shops is so important”

Cllr Sian Maehrlein said since the closure of the lift from the bottom car parks in town, many elderly and disabled found it difficult to get up to the shops.

She added: “If the traders need to park somewhere else it will be expensive for them. Could they not use the Maes Mwldan car park which stands empty for most of the day but for the same fee as they use the Pendre car park?

“It is fairly close by and they could park there under the same terms.”

Cllr Catrin Miles said: “I like the idea of attracting the traders up there but there would have to be an incentive in terms of price.”

The council will write to Ceredigion supporting the idea of a short stay car park but asking for an hour free, with the traders given the chance to buy a special permit at Maes Mwldan.