Dear editor,
We are writing to express our continued concern and frustration about Sainsbury’s decision to introduce parking restrictions and charges at its Kempston store.
Sainsbury’s has imposed a three-hour parking limit, enforced by number plate recognition cameras, with fines for those who stay beyond that period.
The store opened in 1975 and, for the past 51 years, there have been no parking charges. The community is therefore understandably shocked and bewildered by this sudden change in policy.
There are no alternative public car parks in Kempston, and the store is located in an area of Victorian terraced housing where on-street parking is already very limited.
When the store was built, councillors recognised the need for community parking, and this was reflected in a clause in the lease.
Sainsbury’s now argues that the wording of the clause is ambiguous and that it therefore has the right to introduce charges.
We do not believe this is in the spirit in which the car park was provided. It is also worth pointing out that the car park is very large in relation to the store and is never full.
It is hardly a luxury facility, being dark and dingy and prone to flooding whenever there is heavy rain.
Vital for the community
The car park is also relied upon by a nearby doctor’s surgery and several local businesses, all of which have come to expect free daytime parking.
An adjacent office block has recently obtained planning permission to change its use to a gym, again with the expectation that customers and staff will be able to use the car park.
Sainsbury’s has apparently proposed a charge of £4 for those wishing to park all day. We do not consider this fair or reasonable.
For an employee using the car park five days a week, that would amount to an additional £80 a month coming directly out of their wages.
We recognise that there have been occasional problems with anti-social behaviour and criminal damage in the car park.
We therefore supported Sainsbury’s decision to close it at night and have worked with the company and the police to help tackle criminality.
However, we do not believe that restricting free daytime parking will address these problems.
Those intent on criminal behaviour are unlikely to be deterred by a three-hour parking limit or a £4 charge for staying longer. We believe better security measures, including appropriate use of CCTV, would be a more effective response.
We wrote an open letter to Sainsbury’s Chief Executive, published in the Bedford Independent, asking the company to reconsider its decision. Unfortunately, he declined to meet us and did not respond to us directly.
Read: Letters: Imposing parking charges at Kempston Sainsbury’s would be disproportionate and unfair
Nevertheless, we will continue to oppose these charges and urge Sainsbury’s to reconsider. This is a store that has been part of the Kempston community for more than half a century.
We believe Sainsbury’s should recognise the importance of the car park to local residents, businesses and community facilities, and reflect on the damage this decision is doing to its reputation locally.
Cllr James Valentine (Labour), Kempston West
Cllr Nawaz (Labour) & Cllr Caroline White (Green), Kempston Central & East
Cllr Carl Meader (Labour), Kempston South
Cllr Sue Oliver (Labour), Kempston North
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