Tim Streater wrote:
In article ,
(Andrew Gabriel) wrote:
Yes, seen many a town centre die after the council introduces car
parking charges, removes free parking spaces, etc.
[snip]
I'm not claiming town centres could carry on just as they did 30
years ago in the age of the interweb, but the destruction in this
case was almost entirely council driven.
I think in some places, there are issues with shortage of parking. In
Ely, f'rinstance, too many free parking spaces were being taken up by
commuters from the surrounding area parking all day where shoppers might
otherwise park.
What you need is *low* parking fees. In Newmarket we always used to find
the long-term car park absolutely full, until they introduced sensible
limits and parking fees of 20p/hour. Suddenly, you could park there and
go shopping.
Cambridge, by contrast, they're trying to charge 20p for 10 mins in some
places.
Didn't know you were in Newmarket Tim!
I totally agree, that low or zero parking fees make it the destination
of choice for us.
Long term there are streets available as well.. for free.
I never pay for parking there.
Sadly they have at least one dick brain on the council, who keeps adding
traffic lights and snarling up the traffic.
It is not possible to go into Cambridge at all without paying. Every
single possible public parking space has some kind of restriction on it.
They even patrol at 9pm and issue parking tickets.
Only the park and rides are free, BUT the bus fare in is not.
The net effect on any visitor is 'You are here on sufferance, we will
only let you into to our marvellous city at all if you pay' to which my
final response has been an overall 'well **** YOU then' since as Andrew
pointed out in the Dunstable case, the policy eventually forces closures
of any town centre shops of interest anyway.