Travellers ordered to move after setting up camp on Flat Iron car park in Chorley town centre

The travellers were spotted setting up camp on the Flat Iron car park in Union Street on Friday morning (November 18).

Residents quickly raised concerns as to whether parking would be affected during Sunday’s Christmas lights switch on.

Coun Alistair Bradley, Leader of Chorley Council, said he was aware that a traveller encampment had arrived and efforts were being taken to move them on.

“We have started proceedings to remove them from the land as quickly as possible to avoid any further disruption for visitors and traders, and are also working with the police on this,” he added.

“Chorley cannot tolerate illegal encroachments of this kind and we will be taking robust action to resolve this matter forthwith.”

It followed the news the car park, located outside the Market Walk Shopping Centre, would become more expensive for those wishing to stay less than an hour.

The 50pm charge for those staying for less than 60 minutes will be scrapped, meaning everyone will have to pay £1 no matter how long they stay in the two-hour car park.

Motorists will also have to pay seven days a week between 8am and 5pm – previously, drivers did not have to pay from 1pm on Saturdays or at any time on Sundays.

The changes are amongst a range of tweaks to the parking arrangements at local authority-run car parks in and around the town centre.

They will come into force early in the new year after being agreed by Chorley Council’s cabinet.

Deputy leader of Chorley Council, Coun Peter Wilson, said: “It’s important that the strategy tries to address the main car parking priorities for Chorley town centre, with regards to capacity, accessibility, price and impact on the environment, for the next five years, and also that it reflects the change in demand and consumer habits as a result of things like the Covid pandemic and Market Walk now being home to leisure and entertainment venues.

“There’s a lot to consider when developing the strategy in terms of how the car park is used differently by users - some use it for a quick stay to pop to the bank for example, some people use a specific car park that suits them which may be because that car park has parent and child spaces or electric charging bays for example, or some for a day’s shopping or working in the town centre.

“To ensure availability of spaces in the locations that visitors want, and that there is a churn of vehicles throughout the day to support the local traders, we have to do this by the use of tariffs and enforcement.”