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Parking campaigners Councillor Richard Greening, Tim Newark, Danny Michelson, Mark Paton and Chris Godfrey |
Parking ‘driving shops to the wall’
Newspaper columnist backs pleas for easing of curbs to help traders ride out recession
NEWSPAPER columnist Peter Oborne has added his voice to calls for the Town Hall to help recession-hit shops by reducing parking restrictions.
Mr Oborne, who writes on politics for the Daily Mail, urged London Mayor Boris Johnson to intervene before shops in Highbury Barn are forced to close.
Mr Oborne, who lives in Highbury, said: “Highbury Barn has some of the best shops in London. It is a wonderful heart to the community but traders are being driven to the wall by insane parking restrictions.
“If anyone should know about this it is Boris Johnson, who lives locally and who always prided himself as a saviour of the small shops.”
Mark Paton, whose family have run a greengrocer’s shop in Highbury Barn for 70 years, fears the future looks bleak.
He said: “Supermarkets are allowed big car parks but you are not allowed to stop outside a small shop without getting a ticket. It’s grossly unfair.
“Business is not good but that’s not the recession. It’s the parking regime.”
Danny Michelson, from La Fromagerie cheese shop, accused parking wardens of “overzealous” ticketing of drivers parking outside shops, even during the festive season.
“The retail trade needs as much help as it can get,” he added. “What is the point of restrictive parking measures if it is destroying communities.”
The campaign follows a 1,000-signature petition last month calling for a review of the parking zone covering nearby Blackstock Road, Gillespie Road and Drayton Park Road. Traders there want restricted parking hours to be cut.
Highbury Barn butcher Chris Godfrey is pressing for “creative thinking” by Islington Council and the provision of parking spaces around the nearby clocktower.
Deputy Labour group leader Councillor Richard Greening said the council must help traders. “We would like at the very least to see a period of grace before you receive a ticket,” he said.
“That would give people time to park, and go into a shop without receiving a ticket.
“The Lib Dems claim they have liberalised parking but that is not my experience. It is still a fairly draconian business.”
Tim Newark, of Islington Taxpayers Alliance, has been fighting excessive parking restrictions for four years. “In a time of credit crunch, when the retail sector is being hit really hard, reducing restrictions would benefit the community,” he said.
“The council is talking about putting money into the economy but all they need to do is reduce controlled parking. Shops are desperate for passing trade.”
Lib Dem deputy council leader Councillor Terry Stacy said the Town Hall had been working with Highbury traders and residents over the past year on the provision of additional parking spaces.
“We have a number of new parking bays close to the shops where people can stop,” he said. “Meanwhile, we are always open to discuss with residents any new proposals they may have.” |
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