Parking places to go in revamp of Hanley streets
A CASH-STRAPPED council expects to lose £100,000 from on-street parking and enforcement charges as part of plans to revamp the city centre.
A number of parking bays and bus lanes are set to be removed from Hanley under major plans for a new bus station and retail development.
And the changes will also see disabled parking bays removed to make way for the new bus routes.
Changes include the removal of on-street parking along both Percy Street and Tontine Street, and the withdrawal of disabled parking bays in either Stafford Street or Trinity Street.
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There will be no changes to the pay-and-display bays currently in Trinity Street.
Disabled bays will be created in Goodson Street and Burton Place to replace those lost in Tontine Street and Percy Street. There will also be spaces in Foundry Street.
A council report states: "The loss of on-street parking in this area of the city centre is one of the consequences of the public realm improvements and the council's view that the removal of traffic and parking from Percy Street and Tontine Street in particular will encourage regeneration by making the area more attractive to shoppers."
Pam Dutton, assistant manager of Percy Street wedding suit supplier Formal Affair, said: "We are not happy about losing the parking bays, but there is nothing we can do about it."
Shoppers, however, have welcomed the plans, but claim the authority should address parking prices to increase trade. Kelly Royals, aged 26, a learning support assistant from Newcastle, said: "Pedestrian access will make the area safer and eliminate inconsiderate parking, as is the case now.
"The whole area needs updating and renovating."
Student David Booker, aged 29, of Shelton, added: "I think anything that can be done to help regenerate Hanley is a good thing."
A two-month public consultation led to 25 alterations to the original proposals.
Lizette Morganti, aged 33, of Newcastle, a project worker for supported housing, said: "I don't go to Hanley because of the cost of parking. I do not see that pedestrianisation will encourage shoppers."
As part of its plans, the authority will also close four of its car parks in Hanley. They include the 51-space Lichfield Street car park, Castle Street car park, which has 112 spaces, the 30-space facility in Crown Street and the 11 spaces in Warner Street.
The Sentinel has reported on plunging council car park income, which reached £3.2 million in 2009/10, but has slumped to £2.5 million this year – £400,000 less than budgeted.
Comments
by I_Norris
Wednesday, May 16 2012, 10:58AM
“Pecker: the council are helping they have now removed restriction on percy st but seems shop owners unaware you can now drive to the shop in that area that objected”
by stevenweiss
Tuesday, May 15 2012, 11:31PM
“online shopping”
by almay
Tuesday, May 15 2012, 11:25PM
“why pay to park when you can come and block the access to my garage off lichfield street. Been here 30 years and still a problem from selfish inconsiderate drivers. When I first moved in in 1980 the old guy below used to throw battery acid on the offending cars. I of course would never consider that but I have had some very serious fallouts. Too old and stupid to do that nowadays, in fact the system as usual has beaten me into submission so I now pay for permits to park outside my own home. So please EVERYBODY stay out of hanley and make me happy, I live here and very rarely shop in hanley”
by PECKER66
Tuesday, May 15 2012, 9:59PM
“the council removing parking bays and disabled bays on a revamp, they ought remove the double yellow lines in a revamp they've been there long enough and iam the same as Alanjuk. people should stop shopping in hanley then see if the council help out the businesses same as the helped out port vale. and we all know what the answer will be. NO”
by Goach
Tuesday, May 15 2012, 6:41PM
“For as long as people and councils are anti car trade will continue to be driven away (excuse the pun). I don't go to Hanley anymore because to negotiate around it by car is a nightmare. You have to drive three miles to go a go mile because of the rediculous road system, and continued pedestrianisation will continue to damage trade not improve it. Id rather go to Longton or Uttoxeter in fact anywhere except Hanley.”
by BritishHope
Tuesday, May 15 2012, 3:48PM
“park anywhere in hanley free if you spend £5+ in town, in any shop. commision from shops to council, problem solved. if i can solve the problem, why cant our brilliant council?”
by Anon_mow_cop
Tuesday, May 15 2012, 12:51PM
“Gave up shopping in Hanley years ago because of the parking charges, I voted with my wallet.”
by alanjuk
Tuesday, May 15 2012, 12:28PM
“It'll make no difference to me, I haven't paid the council to park in Hanley for years and I'm not about to start now!”
by wineguzzler
Tuesday, May 15 2012, 12:21PM
“I don't shop in Hanley anymore because of the extortionate parking charges and the awful/expensive bus service, but I do drive in and out of the town occasionally to drop off and pick up my other half from the Percy Street area and you do have to be careful of shoppers who already think its pedestrianised and walk willy nilly across the roads without looking!!”
by I_Norris
Tuesday, May 15 2012, 12:03PM
“Im not sure traffic is being removed anymore from percy st is it? Access is still allowed with parking replaced by loading and unloading to allow customers to still drive to wedding shop and webberleys”