Funeral protest over Welwyn parking charges

BLACK ribbons have been wrapped around posts in Welwyn to mark “the death of the village” with the proposed introduction of new parking restrictions.

The village has been adorned in the morbid colours by villagers, who have already signed a petition to stop Welwyn Hatfield Council’s plans to introduce charges to car parks in High Street and Lockleys.

The petitions, which have to be signed before the end of the consultation period tomorrow (Friday) morning, will be handed to the borough council at 11.30am, tomorrow, in a coffin, having been transported to the WGC Campus East offices in a hearse.

Piers Lyon, the village’s representative on Welwyn Hatfield Chamber of Commerce, is encouraging hundreds to attend the stunt.

The landlord at The White Hart said: “Some people may find this stunt a little over the top, but I would reply saying losing my business is just a little over the top, and we believe these car parking charges will kill off the village and its businesses.”

Piers, who wants people to meet at 11am at the Prospect Place hotel, added: “The black ribbons sum up how everyone in the village feels. No one is in favour of parking charges, it’s a simply ridiculous money-making exercise.”

If approved the parking scheme would see motorists being charged 50p for 30 minutes, 80p for an hour and �1 for an hour-and-a-half in the village car parks, while nearby Broomfield Road car park would also have a three hour restriction, and Titmus Yard would have a permit scheme.