Published: Saturday, 27th June, 2009 10:00am

Solutions in the short term

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CHEAPER short term parking could be in the pipeline to help struggling businesses in the Royal Borough.

A large majority voted in favour of passing a motion that will see the council continue to work towards reducing the costs for drivers who want to park up for under half-an-hour.

Leader of the council, David Burbage, said that work was already under way to see what more could be done to reduce parking fees.

A review of the costs is expected to take place later this year.

He said: 'Working is already going on, I will ask officers to at whether anything can be done on on street parking for people who just want to pop into the bank or go to the shop rather than having to pay for a full hour.'

During a full council meeting on Tuesday, Cllr Simon Werner asked that the borough, reduce car park fees, improve levels of cleanliness in car park stairwells and ensure car parking equipment such as ticket machines were working to help bring shoppers to Windsor and Maidenhead.

He said: 'We all know the country is in a recession, it is still going on in the borough. The shopkeepers are crying out for help and are desperate for action to be taken to get more people to come in and shop. We need more measures and car parking is the first place to start.'

Cllr Werner went on to say that if short-term parking was not made more readily available and cheaper, residents and visitors would choose to shop elsewhere.

Action is already being taken to try and help traders with the council freeing up more than 200 spaces for residents to use in Windsor as well as bringing down parking prices in the River Street Car Park.

Transport boss, Cllr Colin Rayner, also said that water pressure cleaners were used each week to remove any odious odours from the Nicholsons car parking stairwells.