Town Centre Evening Parking Charges
killing independent businesses and ‘driving’ shoppers away
In 2008 I became a Town Councillor with a view that I could be of use to the public of Banbury. It has to be said my work has mainly been with youths and in particular turning the lives around of youth offenders. I have to say, despite the bad press councillors have been getting recently from the media, I am proud and honoured to be chosen by the public for this post.
We as ‘Councillors’ all get to vote on different issues and we always go with the majority. Once such recent vote was in favour of charging the public of Banbury eighty pence to park in the town centre from 6pm until 12am. Although this may seem like a small amount it has shown to have an impact on the businesses in the Banbury Town Centre. Although I am a Councillor, this was a Cherwell ‘District’ Council matter and being a ‘Town’ Councillor I was unable to influence the vote, I opposed this vote via an email to the Town Council in their defence they told me the money raised from the parking, would be used to regenerate the town centre buy building more shops and homes in the town centre. This initially seemed like a fair argument but why regenerate a town centre using ‘your money’ to drive people out of the town centre? Brackley offers free parking as an incentive for people to visit their town as do Witney, Chipping Norton and many other towns in the area whilst we seem to be driving people away. A recent article in the Banbury Guardian highlighted the fact that a disabled lady now shops in Brackley due to the fact we are now charging ‘Blue Badge’ holders to park.
Whilst retail parks and supermarkets are offering free parking and you can get a take-away from most housing estates, the town centre businesses such as cafe’s & restaurants, the cinema, the snooker club pubs and clubs etc… are suffering and under threat of closure. Just as we seem to be climbing out of the recession and more people are finding money to maybe go for a drink or a meal in the town centre the council makes it more difficult,
The action taken by the Council has led a local business to start a petition to re-install the free parking in the evenings. I believe the regeneration that promises more shops and residential accommodation will cause more problems for the town centre. Where will all the new residents be parking there cars? Especially now as landlords don’t have to provide parking for their occupants.
I think the Council have done a wonderful job recently with pedestrianisation of Parson Street and the Market Place but we need to attract people to Banbury so they can see it and spend their money here. Call me old fashioned but I feel the town centre of Banbury should be the heart of the town and we need to fight to keep it that way. If you want to sign the petition visit Veritas or Spit n Sawdust both on North Bar Street or use the link End Evening Car Parking Charges in Banbury www.thepetitionsite.com to voice your opinion
killing independent businesses and ‘driving’ shoppers away
In 2008 I became a Town Councillor with a view that I could be of use to the public of Banbury. It has to be said my work has mainly been with youths and in particular turning the lives around of youth offenders. I have to say, despite the bad press councillors have been getting recently from the media, I am proud and honoured to be chosen by the public for this post.
We as ‘Councillors’ all get to vote on different issues and we always go with the majority. Once such recent vote was in favour of charging the public of Banbury eighty pence to park in the town centre from 6pm until 12am. Although this may seem like a small amount it has shown to have an impact on the businesses in the Banbury Town Centre. Although I am a Councillor, this was a Cherwell ‘District’ Council matter and being a ‘Town’ Councillor I was unable to influence the vote, I opposed this vote via an email to the Town Council in their defence they told me the money raised from the parking, would be used to regenerate the town centre buy building more shops and homes in the town centre. This initially seemed like a fair argument but why regenerate a town centre using ‘your money’ to drive people out of the town centre? Brackley offers free parking as an incentive for people to visit their town as do Witney, Chipping Norton and many other towns in the area whilst we seem to be driving people away. A recent article in the Banbury Guardian highlighted the fact that a disabled lady now shops in Brackley due to the fact we are now charging ‘Blue Badge’ holders to park.
Whilst retail parks and supermarkets are offering free parking and you can get a take-away from most housing estates, the town centre businesses such as cafe’s & restaurants, the cinema, the snooker club pubs and clubs etc… are suffering and under threat of closure. Just as we seem to be climbing out of the recession and more people are finding money to maybe go for a drink or a meal in the town centre the council makes it more difficult,
The action taken by the Council has led a local business to start a petition to re-install the free parking in the evenings. I believe the regeneration that promises more shops and residential accommodation will cause more problems for the town centre. Where will all the new residents be parking there cars? Especially now as landlords don’t have to provide parking for their occupants.
I think the Council have done a wonderful job recently with pedestrianisation of Parson Street and the Market Place but we need to attract people to Banbury so they can see it and spend their money here. Call me old fashioned but I feel the town centre of Banbury should be the heart of the town and we need to fight to keep it that way. If you want to sign the petition visit Veritas or Spit n Sawdust both on North Bar Street or use the link End Evening Car Parking Charges in Banbury www.thepetitionsite.com to voice your opinion
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