Eric Pickles calls for councils to ditch anti-car policies
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has called for local councils to provide more town centre parking spaces and to tackle poorly sited bollards and road humps as part of new planning guidance published this week.
The new practice guidance, covering design, town centres and travel plans, will state that councils should understand the role appropriate parking facilities can play in rejuvenating shops, high streets and town centres. It also sets out how town hall planning rules should not be used to tax drivers or justify development of “crude” traffic calming measures.
With approximately half of all parking is run by local authorities, recent research by the Association of Town and City Management has shown that there is a strong relationship between parking provision and high street footfall. The association has warned that aggressive municipal parking policies are now stifling local trade and that rigid enforcement policies are deterring shoppers from visiting town centres.
Developed following an external review to make planning more accessible, the new government guidance is part of a new online guide that replaces 7,000 pages of previous planning documents.
Never Miss a Retail Update!Pickles said: “Draconian town hall parking policies and street clutter can make driving into town centres unnecessarily stressful and actually create more congestion because of lack of places to park. Anti-car measures are driving motorists into the arms of internet retailers and out of town superstores, taking their custom with them.
“Town halls need to ditch their anti-car dogma. Making it easier to park will help support local shops, local jobs and tourism.”
