"Tinkering with parking on double yellow lines will not save our town centres"

Interesting press release from Civic Voice

Responding to news that the Government plans to allow motorists to park on double-yellow lines for up to 15 minutes without paying, Civic Voice Deputy Chair, Freddie Gick, said:

"While it is good news that the Government is aware that something needs to be done about the apparent decline of our town centres, this proposal is a misguided attempt to solve the wrong problem. The last thing we need is more on-street parking, congestion and traffic blockages caused by a parking free for all that cannot be policed. Improved access to town centre shopping is vital, but not by making their streets impenetrable. If anything needs to be done about yellow lines it is more likely to be to review where they are, whether they are necessary and how effectively they are policed.’

Eric Pickles MP, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government is proposing to give drivers a ‘grace period’ to allow them to park outside shops or keep their vehicles in parking bays for longer.

Freddie Gick finished by saying ‘Giving motorists ten minutes parking to pick up their purchases will not encourage them to come into town to shop. We would expect the Government to come up with a much more strategic approach to the problems facing the High Street.’

Once again, Civic Voice is calling for:

• A more fundamental review of the role of the high street

• A compulsory ‘exceptional sign-off’ on every out-of-town development

• Transfer of out-of-town development business rates to reduce town centre rates

• A block on retail development which closes too many local shops

• Moves to bring empty shops back into use

• Permit planning authorities to control the mix of shops

• Enable councils to offer rate relief

• Take steps to prevent landlords from leaving retail property empty