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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Alice Walker

Hospitality industry slams 'woeful timing' of Liverpool city centre parking proposal

The hospitality industry in Liverpool has responded to free parking after 6pm potentially being scrapped in the city centre.

On Monday, the ECHO revealed that the council had launched a month-long consultation over on-street parking in town, in order to improve air quality in the city.

The engagement exercise is asking for public views on the city’s controlled parking zone (CPZ) . This is a regulated area where on-street parking is restricted by law between the hours of 8am to 6pm.

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The new proposals would consist of enforced paid parking between 7am and 11pm, along with fees to park within the CPZ increasing by 10p every half hour.

30 minutes of parking currently sits at £1.20, so this would go up to £1.30. Up to an hour would increase to £2.50 from £2.40. As reported yesterday, parking times would be limited to two hours.

Liverpool's hospitality industry did not seem too keen on the idea either.

Celebrity chef Paul Askew, Chef Patron of The Art School, said: "Liverpool’s hospitality industry at present needs all the support and help it can get and this parking proposal is a reason for guests and clients not to come out to dine or shop or go to a gig or bar. "

He added: "I understand why the council want added revenue but this is not the way to achieve that."

Iain Hoskins, of the Ma Pub Group, said: "The parking charge idea is an awful idea. Being free after 6pm onwards across the city is an incentive for late shoppers and of course hospitality - so the timing is woeful if this comes into fruition.

"Clearly the council needs to generate more income but I feel this will simply discourage more people coming into the city centre. We don’t want to encourage excessive cars on the roads but at the moment public transport is very poor on top of the strikes."

Paul Durand of Manifest Restaurant and Bar said: "I think that the proposed changes to the CPZ in the city centre could massively affect small businesses (who are already struggling, might I add) by making it harder families and casual punters to access the city centre in off peak times.

"I think that improving public transport links would be a much better solution if the aim really is to reduce congestion and not to just bring in more revenue for the council. For example the recent River of Light festival was great and a huge success but do you think as many families would have visited if these new proposals were in place? I don’t.

"Speaking from my own young families personal experience have you ever tried getting a bud into town with a pram and young child? It’s near impossible and would limit young families, who would go into the city centre and spend money in local business’ opportunities to do so. The north end Liverpool is particularly poorly served by public transport and could be improved."

Cllr Liam Robinson, Liverpool Council cabinet member for neighbourhood services, said the city centre had “changed beyond recognition” and with the population growing massively in the last two decades, additional pressures were being felt in relation to parking spaces.

He said: “These new developments, as well as the boom in our night time economy, have radically changed where people go and visit, and how they get there. The city council has helped guide these changes and introduced new pedestrianised areas and new off-street car parks, which have all resulted in an increased demand in on-street parking within the city centre.

“Naturally all these changes have placed new pressures on our highways capacity and available road space, leading to traffic congestion, unsafe parking practices, short commuter journeys by car, long-stay use of on-street parking bays and overall, creating a poor environment for all city centre users – which also impacts on its economic appeal.” Cllr Robinson said now most of the city centre connectivity programme had been delivered, “the time is right” to address issues around parking.

He added: “A lot of thought has gone into these proposals and we welcome as much feedback as possible to help ensure we can continue to refine and improve them before we start looking at a formal traffic order consultation.”

Our readers also took to the comments section to share their thoughts on this proposal.

One said: “I basically don't visit town in the daytime now due to parking costs. If this plan comes into force, I won't bother with night time either.”

Another added: “Further nail in the coffin of the city centre retail outlets. Ludicrous. They need all the help they can get to remain in existence.”

Clare wrote: “More deliberate killing off of businesses pushing and pushing until our economy goes bang, then everyone can be displaced! Gentrification at its finest. Probably not exclusive to Liverpool.”

Sue said: “Money Grabbing! Shops are struggling, people are struggling! Disgraceful decision!”

Nicholas added: “Just when local businesses (retail or food) need support and people through their doors... makes no sense.”

Cassie said: "I work evenings off hardman street, I'm on minimum wage, plus the parking meters there only allow two hour stays. I can't leave work to move the car so I will be completely stuffed. No other way for me to get to work other than by car. I am 54 and diabetic, can't claim anything... just about managing as it is with free parking after 6. Thanks Liverpool city council, nice one."

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