Aylesbury Sunday Parking Fee Protest

Rev. David Jenkins, Superintendent Minister of the Aylesbury Methodist Circuit and Chairman of Churches Together in Aylesbury is leading a protest against planned Sunday parking fees.

Writing to the Chairman of Aylesbury Vale District Council, Rev. Jenkins spoke about the detrimental effect the recently announced £1 flat fee for Sunday parking would cause 'to the hundreds of people who worship God in the various churches around the town.'

He added that 'The churches in Aylesbury are deeply committed to building community, supporting a range of charities and organisations and providing a considerable network of pastoral care, especially for highly vulnerable people. Charging people to park on a Sunday could make it more difficult for the churches to make their distinctive and positive contribution to the town's life.'

Speaking to the Bucks Herald, he said that at least ten churches could be affected. 'St. Joseph's has about 400 worshippers over two services, there are 200 at the Methodist Church, about 200 at Holy Trinity, then there are St. Mary's, the Quakers on Rickfords Hill, the Baptists on Granville Street and other Pentecostal churches in the town.'

     Reverend David Jenkins

He spoke of the growth in the Anglican Holy Trinity church, the Catholic St. Josephs church and the Methodist church in Buckingham Street and the very large number of people affected. It is already difficult to find a parking space for Sunday worship and these charges will simply make things worse.

The Sunday parking question is not new.  In preparing our 2007 Business Plan for our new Community Centre, we did a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.) One of the Threats was: If AVDC introduced evening and weekend parking charges.' It is now a real, as opposed to potential threat.

With dismay and opposition from Aylesbury town centre retailers who feel their trade and potential viability could be adversely affected, it is hoped that AVDC will reconsider their position on this parking issue and its wider impact on the community.