Parking is blamed for driving shoppers away from Biddulph High Street
TRADERS claim a lack of parking is damaging their businesses.
Now more than 400 people have signed a petition calling for more parking spaces to the north of Biddulph High Street.
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'DISASTER': John McKechnie, who owns Reltso Pet Store, in High Street, put his shop up for sale last week. Picture: Steve Bould
Campaigners argue that the town's one-way system leaves a number of stores being by-passed by traffic and hard to get to for existing customers.
The petition was submitted to Biddulph Town Council at a meeting on Tuesday.
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Eileen Cox, secretary of Friends of Biddulph, which started the petition, said: "We've spoken to a couple of traders on the north side of the high street who feel the one-way system has put people off coming into town.
"Currently, the one-way system means the town can't be accessed by the north end, which may put people off from visiting the shops there and also it's the way people drive through to get out of town.
"So if there's nowhere for people to park outside the north side, they will just continue out of the town. We've only put the petition in shops for two weeks so we're really surprised by the response."
John McKechnie, who owns Reltso Pet Store, on the High Street, put his shop up for sale last week due to a fall in trade.
He believes the one-way system has affected the number of shoppers visiting the area north of the town centre.
The 56-year-old said: "The shop has been a family-owned business for over 20 years and I took over the shop five years ago from my sister and her husband, who retired.
"The one-way system has been a disaster for the shops along the north end of the High Street.
"There's hardly any passing trade at all now and I've seen a lot of shops closing in the last couple of months.
"I was even told by a customer that she had found it hard to get to my shop due to the one-way system.
"There's only around 10 spaces to park alongside the street and shoppers can only park for 30 minutes, which is just not enough. Sometimes, I can go two hours without seeing a single customer.
"The petition just highlights the fact shoppers, as well as traders, are desperate for more parking in the town."
This week, the town council formed a working party to look at potential sites for more parking in the town centre.
Councillor Matthew Tolley, who will work with the group, said: "The traders at the north end of the High Street have been suffering ever since the one-way system was introduced.
"The change meant it made it difficult for people to shop and park.
"Now we have set up this working party, we will hopefully be able to make some progress with the parking situation in Biddulph, in particular on the north side of the high street."
8 Comments
by Backdoored
Thursday, February 21 2013, 9:25PM
“Double Yellow LInes.... Rip-Off Parking Charges ..... Online Trade (bigger by the day) -will kill off the HIGH ST ...and so called 'CITY CENTRES' ..... we're moving into an altogether different world; and there's NOWT any on us can do abite eet.
Larchshot and Pervez have yet to SEE THE LIGHT.... but before they do they'll WASTE £50 MILLION OF YOUR MONEY finding out.
Reason To Be Cheerful -Part 3. (see you on the 23rd) Countdown to Saturday. NOW that is a reason to be CHEERFUL !! A family day out.”
by stevenweiss
Thursday, February 21 2013, 8:22PM
“And the council are surprised by this because.....?”
by Valeplace
Thursday, February 21 2013, 2:33PM
“Not exactly the best way to advertize the sale of your shop but,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,hey ho.”
by yamahaman
Thursday, February 21 2013, 12:34PM
“I agree with those that can see the wood for the trees, The local councils have done little to support the high street in most towns. I don't visit Biddulph but do remember the high street before the one way system was introduced,is there really a need to have the same parking restrictions that may have been in force before the change of traffic flow.
Tunstall town centre is a typical example of enforcement madness, the camera car used to fine those who stop to nip in and out of local shops, yes if there was a traffic flow problem I could understand the reason for restrictions, and enforcement. But where circumstances change in an area, it must be common sence to review the need for parking restrictions that may have been needed years ago but not now.”
by Kenny95
Thursday, February 21 2013, 11:39AM
“Well good for you Anon_mow_cop but public transport is not an option for everybody.
Public transport is very time consuming and very expensive.
I often pop into town on my lunchbreak this would not be an option using public transport.
If me and the wife went into town to shop at the weekend and used public transport it would cost £8, my car is taxed & fuelled anyway and it certainly wouldn't cost £8 in fuel to get into town.
I did once look into using public transport for work, it would have added an extra 3 HOURS to my working day and I only live 6 miles from my work.
It is now £68 a month for a bus pass, I dont pay that in car fuel and car insurance a month, maybe thats why so many of us have the "car first" mentality that you mention.”
by Anon_mow_cop
Thursday, February 21 2013, 10:46AM
“We have to break this "car first" mentality and use public transport where we can, some of the blame can be laid on local and national goverment.There hasn't been any proper public transport policy in this country for years.Going around europe I find it very easy to get around without a car.I only use my car when I have to.”
by WebMonkey1
Thursday, February 21 2013, 9:57AM
“One of the reasons Supermarkets are thriving is they control there own parking. These poor traders are at the mercy of the councils.”
by mowcopman
Thursday, February 21 2013, 9:49AM
“Parking charges and lack of parking has killed the town centres in this country. Greed and a total lack of foresight on behalf of local authorities is to blame. Lower the charges or make it free and the people will come. Charge them a fortune then they'll go to out of town stores where aprking is usually free. Surely it's better to have a thriving high street with lower parking revenues than to squeeze every penny from the motorist and have rows of empty shops.”