Yet more parking charges to be introduced in Bradford city centre (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Councillors vote for pay-and-display spaces to be created in centre of Bradford

11:10am Saturday 11th February 2012 in News By Jo Winrow

Pay-and-display parking in Bradford city centre will be extended after leading councillors approved the changes despite objections from retailers’ groups.

In passing the plans, leader of Bradford Council, Ian Greenwood, said he did not believe the city centre’s problems were due to parking charges but that it was down to the shops on offer.

Councillor Greenwood said: “I understand traders in the city centre are concerned and angry about the situation we find ourselves in. We are working tirelessly to build an asset here in the city centre and to get the retail offer into a situation where the footfall increases.

“I don’t believe parking charges effect the city centre massively – it’s the retail offer that does.

“Bradford has the cheapest parking charges of any major cities that I know. In these circumstances, proposing free parking is not sensible.”

Councillor David Green, the portfolio holder responsible for regeneration, added that the changes were the result of more than 12 months of work and consultation.

New parking spaces will be created by taking out waiting restrictions and replacing them with time-limited parking. In addition, the maximum stay allowed within pay-and-display spaces will now be increased from one hour to two hours.

Coun Green added: “I am aware that there are businesses and organisations who feel that on-street parking charges in the city centre are not the way forward.

“But what we need to do is get Bradford city centre to become a place where people come to shop, work or spend their leisure time. If we can create that, then concerns that are being expressed about on-street parking changes become less important.”

Fifty new pay-and-display machines have been bought at a cost of £110,000, and the associated traffic orders, signs and lining are expected to cost a further £30,000.

The changes have been criticised by Val Summerscales at the Chamber of Trade, who fears that more on-street parking charges will mean fewer people coming into the centre of Bradford to use the shops that remain.

She also said she was concerned that Westfield had no plans to offer free parking as part of its shopping centre scheme.

The parking changes were agreed at a meeting of the Council’s executive.