Bring council staff to book, says Trowbridge library user (From This Is Wiltshire)

A driver is claiming that Wiltshire Council staff are using free parking spaces meant for Trowbridge’s library users.

John Fairbrother, 67, of Alderton Way, regularly uses the library, inside County Hall, but constantly struggles to find anywhere to park.

He says council staff use the 66 spaces intended for visitors to the library, which opened at the council’s HQ last September, replacing the one in Bythesea Road.

He said: “It’s been like that since it opened and, when you try to find out who is responsible for this mess and lack of planning of any kind, no-one appears to know. You try various departments or individuals, who all pass the buck.

“Staff all come out with council tags around their necks to their cars, which are parked in visitors’ spaces. According to their parking wardens, they have no authority to issue fines, as it’s private land.”

Mr Fairbrother has raised his concerns with Wiltshire Council.

He said: “They said they will get back to me, but haven’t. It’s just a shambles and what they have done is make a beautiful library but never planned for the new customers or existing workers who have moved to the building.”

As part of a cost-cutting exercise, the council is closing many of its buildings, leaving just three main hubs, including County Hall, to reduce maintenance and energy costs. It claims the project will help save more than £85 million over the next 25 years.

Trowbridge Town and Wiltshire Councillor Graham Payne said: “People have been complaining to me a lot about this, especially this week as it’s half-term. I have been beating away on this issue since it (the library) opened.”

“Staff need to understand the ground rules and we need to ensure parking attendants apply the rules when necessary.”

A Council spokesman said: “We apologise to any member of the public who has been unable to park in the 66 spaces provided and we ask them to bear with us “We now have a civil enforcement officer to ensure public parking and disabled spaces are kept clear and we will monitor the situation closely and continue to advise staff not to occupy the visitor parking bays.”