Brighton & Hove Friends of the Earth

News Release

For Immediate Release:  Friday, 25 October, 2013

Bus users snubbed in car parking giveaway

Brighton & Hove Friends of the Earth (BHFOE) have criticised the notice of motion agreed at yesterday’s Brighton & Hove City Council Full Council meeting [1], which has proposed free parking at a number of car parks throughout the city in the run up to Christmas.  BHFOE is concerned that this could cost Council taxpayers at lot of money, will penalise the nearly 40% of households in the city without a car [2], will increase air pollution and congestion and could undermine public transport [3].

BHFOE believes that it goes against the Council’s policies on equality and will penalise the least well off in the city.  BHFOE believes that if it was essential to provide incentives for people to come into Brighton & Hove to do their Christmas shopping, then politicians should have provided a transport discount to all residents that could be used on both the buses and in car parks.  This would be fairer and benefit everyone.

Chris Todd from BHFOE said:

“Nearly 40% of households in Brighton & Hove do not have a car and will receive no benefit from this parking giveaway.  Many of these will be people who cannot afford a car and rely on the buses to get around.  Just as motorists might be concerned with the cost of car parking, bus users are concerned with the cost of bus fares.   Why is there no giveaway for them or has Scrooge come early this year?

“Bus services are incredibly important for the city’s economy.  They are the most effective way of moving vast numbers of people in a compact city like Brighton & Hove.  If councillors want to boost trade why are they not trying to fill empty seats on the buses?

“Retailers also undervalue bus users (and pedestrians and cyclists) and always seem to obsess with car parking, which doesn’t help the situation.  Yet if car parking is really such a problem, why is the city doing better than many other major shopping centres?

“However, the biggest question is how are we going to afford this?  At a time of big cuts to public finances, will this mean fewer pedestrian crossings will be installed to pay for this?  While we remain opposed to this giveaway, if it is taken forward it needs to be made fair and opened up so that all residents can benefit.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

[1]   The Full Council meeting was on Thursday, 24 October and the following motion (including amendments) was adopted:

“The council notes the upcoming Small Business Saturday, due to be held on Saturday 7th December at the peak of the Christmas shopping season, as an excellent opportunity to showcase the hundreds of excellent independent smaller businesses across the City of Brighton and Hove.

The independent campaign, which has received backing from American Express who started the equivalent campaign in the US, has the backing of a wide range of business organisations including the Association of Convenience Stores, the Association of Town and City Management, the British Chamber of Commerce. the Federation of Small Businesses and the Forum for Private Business. The Council notes that Small Business Saturday could play a key role in reversing the recent downturn in trade that many smaller businesses across the city are suffering from as the result of changes to parking charges and on street parking schemes.

This Council resolves:

1) To ask the Chief Executive and Lead Officers to ensure the authority participates fully in Small Business Saturday on 7th December 2013;

2) To request that officers work closely with local business organisations and smaller enterprises across the City to make them aware of the day and help them participate in it; and

 3) To request that officers ensure the authority promotes Small Business Saturday via the Council’s websites, social media and other external communication tools;

This Council also requests that a report be brought to a Policy & Resources Urgency Sub-Committee within the necessary time-scale to ensure that consideration can be given to:

1) The provision of free parking at Norton Road, London Road, Regency Square, High Street and Trafalgar Street car parks on Small Business Saturday in order to help boost trade.

2) The provision of free parking at Norton Road, London Road, Regency Square, High Street and Trafalgar Street car parks on the 3 Sundays before Christmas (8th, 15th and 22nd December).

[2]   From the 2011 Census figures, 38.2% of households in Brighton & Hove do not have a car.

[3]   The free car parking at certain car parks could cause congestion in and around these car parks.  Already, there is queuing at the Trafalgar Street car park because is it very well used.  Any giveaway, or free parking, here could result in much longer queues forming leading to frustration and congestion, making the North Laine a less pleasant place to visit.  It might also cause confusion and anger at other car parks where people will still have to pay.  It could also encourage people to ditch the bus and drive into the city instead as many people who use the buses also have access to a car.

Media Contact:  Chris Todd  01273 553044  or  07889 302229