Free parking to boost Rotherham trade

Saturday parking will be free for 12 months from April, while the borough council’s Free After 3 scheme will be extended for the same period.

The move, which has been rubber-stamped by councillors, comes just three months after free Saturday parking was scrapped by the authority following a month-long trial before Christmas.

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Now borough councillors have earmarked £727,000 from a £6 million grant, handed to the authority after it met a series of Government targets, to fund the scheme and other town centre improvements.

Cllr Gerald Smith, the council’s Cabinet member for regeneration and development services, said: “We know that these initiatives are helping because our town centre team went out and asked business people.

“More than seven out of ten of those we asked felt that Free After 3 had the potential to improve trade and footfall and virtually half said it already had done so.

“On free Saturdays, more than six out of ten said both trade and footfall had increased.”

Cllr Richard Russell, Cabinet Member for Streetpride, added: “We are confident our council colleagues will see the value of these schemes because we believe they have helped the town during a difficult economic climate.”

Tory councillor John Gilding said that he would like to see the free parking initiative extended even further.

He said: “Free Saturday parking and extension of the Free After 3 scheme are obviously steps in the right direction but I would like to see a period of free parking available to everyone who visits the town centre at any time of the day, on any day of the week.

“The town centre is dying on its feet and it is time for drastic action to be taken.”

Asked how he proposed the borough council funded his proposals, Cllr Gilding added: “The borough council is  spending more than £2 million on an unnecessary refurbishment of the Town Hall. All the funding you would need is right there.”

Not everyone agreed that the borough council’s parking initiative was the best way to boost the fortunes of town centre traders.

Stagecoach’s operational director, Richard Kay, argued that efforts to help bus operators reduce their fares would be of more benefit, by helping traders and the use of public transport at the same time.

In an official letter of complaint to the council, he said: “l am confident that had it not been for the much-hyped ‘credit crunch,’ then on the grounds of congestion and pollution alone I would hazard a guess that your department would have done all in its power to demonstrate its green credentials by seeking higher parking charges or some other prohibition on vehicles entering the town centre.”

But traders welcomed the free parking with open arms.

Andrew Birks, of Andrew’s Butchers, off Corporation Street, said: “This is a big step forward and I think businesses in the town centre will appreciate it.

“I know businesses across the country are hurting, so I don’t envy the council in looking for ways of helping but this latest proposal is good.

“Naturally, we would like to see more, but this will help.”

Peter Bird, who runs Peter Bird Hair Salons in Wellgate and Corporation Street, also welcomed the move, calling it “very positive for the town centre.”

He added: “I genuinely am sympathetic towards the council—they have a terrible job on.

“Anything more they can do to attract new businesses, help existing ones and persuade shoppers into the town centre would be hugely welcome.

“But it’s not just about what the council can do but about what local people can do, by supporting their local businesses and town centre.”

Donna Tuxford, of Ramsden’s Financial, on Corporation Street, said: “We welcome both initiatives but the free Saturday in particular is fantastic, with clear benefits for our and other businesses’ customers.”