Councils should be doing everything possible to support businesses and encourage footfall into our towns and villages - but Cheshire East seem intent on making things difficult for our leisure and hospitality industries.
The Labour-led authority want to extend parking charges in council car parks until 10pm and introduce Sunday charges.
The reason behind this, apparently, is to encourage walking or cycling and improve safety.
What I actually think it will do is force people out of our towns to go elsewhere where parking is free. Local businesses have been clear with me – they want to see a reduction in parking charges or them removed completely. It is a recurring theme in my postbag and a post-election survey I carried out with businesses show it’s a concern in all areas that will be affected by these changes; Knutsford, Wilmslow, Alderley Edge and Handforth.
Both Knutsford and Wilmslow have town centre cinemas and given they already have to compete with out-of-town multiplexes, these charges, at their peak times are going to seriously impact their businesses. Residents in Wilmslow fought really hard to get a cinema back into the town and The Rex will now suffer because of these ludicrous new parking charges.
I simply do not understand how a council that just two years ago were talking about “Town Centre Vitality Plans” are proposing things that could devastate businesses and damage our vibrant nightlife.
To me, the justification for making changes to parking do not add up. I doubt people will want to cycle or walk on a dark evening but instead will just go elsewhere where they can park for free and I am confused as to what the council mean when it says it will improve safety?
The council should just be honest and say it is passing further costs down to residents because of its financial mismanagement. The council claim the move will generate £2 million over four years but there appears to be little information about the financial impact it will have on our businesses. And furthermore, I doubt the council has factored in the costs it will incur implementing the changes, including new signs, reprogramming machines, and employing additional parking enforcement officers to cover antisocial hours.
People can have their say on these proposals until October 9. I’ve already submitted my opposition and I hope many others will too and we can stop this going ahead. For more information on how to have your say visit https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/council_information/media_hub/media_releases/consultation-launches-on-evening-and-sunday-parking-arrangements.aspx
