On 07/08/2010 13:09, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

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.

Bike in the back of the car. Though when I travel to Cambridge I do park
on the street without restriction, so your statement about parking
spaces is clearly somewhat overblown. Of course I may have more
effective legs than you.

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.

Cambridge has had years to have that problem, and it seems to be doing
pretty well without your custom. Parking there was a nightmare 20 years
ago, and that's got to be long enough to see your predictions of doom
come true.

Ditto London.

If your city is big or special enough in its own right to attract
people, which both Cambridge and central London are, the parking is
irrelevant. If your town is just another repeated provincial high
street, it may well be more important.

It's interesting to look at Hebden Bridge. Congested roads, no free
parking, doing really well due to genuinely interesting shops rather
than the normal chains.