OUTRAGED Avoncliff residents are angry after discovering a public car park near their homes is to shut at the end of March, just as the tourist season begins, and say they should have been given more information about the closure plans.

Wiltshire Council’s countywide consultation on car parking in March 2015 found that only 15 per cent of the people who replied wanted to keep the car park open, and the council cannot afford its £15,000 a year costs. People living in the hamlet say they did not know the consultation included a plan to close the car park.

The lease for the 16-space car park, which is used by 19,000 people a year, will expire on March 23.

The car park has given visitors to the Avoncliff beauty spot free parking while they visit the area.

Tony Stewart, chairman of the Avoncliff Community Group, said the closure, coupled with council tax rises, was a real kick in the teeth to the entire community and hoped Wiltshire Council would reconsider.

“It is incredibly frustrating for the whole community that we weren’t consulted prior to this decision and now we only have weeks to respond,” he said.

“This will cause chaos in Avoncliff and have a major impact on local businesses within Avoncliff.”

The community group says that with no car park, tourists will park on the narrow road from Westwoodblocking access for emergency vehicles. They also worry that with no car park, disabled children and adults and fewer tourists will visit the area.

Bradford Cllr Magnus Macdonald, whose ward includes the hamlet, said: “I think I should have picked it up earlier. When the whole consultation started I was a pretty new councillor. You don’t pick up the implications of everything.

“Westwood Parish Council should have picked up on it and flagged it up to them.

“It is a bit of a nightmare, they need that car park but it is a real anachronism. It is more likely that elephants fly than the county council reversing their decision.”

Westwood Parish Council, who learned of the closure in December, said this week: “We were very surprised and disappointed to learn that Wiltshire Council was not renewing the lease on the car park at Avoncliff.

“The Parish Council views the car park as an essential and well-used facility by residents and especially visitors to Avoncliff and it is a key resource for promoting the visitor attractions of Avoncliff and the wider tourist area of Bradford on Avon.

“The Parish Council fully supports the campaign by Avoncliff Community Group to retain the car park and would welcome a reversal of the decision by Wiltshire Council.”

The council added that for it to take on the £15,000 maintenance costs, it would have to double the parish precept.

Philip Whitehead, Wiltshire Council cabinet member responsible for car parks, said: “The consultation on car parking last year was one of our most widely publicised ever. The decision was taken in March last year, and we have kept the local parish council informed. Unfortunately, we cannot afford to continue to lease and pay business rates on this free car park, while we are having to save money on many other essential services in Wiltshire.”