Act now to save Coventry city centre, says councillor

[dutchman]

A “Save our city centre” petition is calling for radical measures to attract shoppers, including free transport and parking in Coventry.



The initiative is being spearheaded by backbench councillor Bally Singh.

He wants to see parking and public transport free to anyone spending more than £10 in the city centre.

Coun Singh (Lab Whoberley) who was elected to Coventry City Council last year, hopes to stimulate a citywide debate – and for people power to persuade the city’s Labour leaders.

He is calling on city centre traders, bus operators and passenger transport authority Centro to consider his plan to attract more city centre visitors.

While he is backing the Labour-run council’s efforts to stimulate city centre trade – including a £7million Olympic redevelopment of Broadgate and other areas next year, and the longer-term £1billion Jerde redevelop-ment – Coun Singh is urging his party’s leaders to adopt emergency measures now.

It follows Coventry slipping to around 60th in the national league table of retail performance – trailing behind much smaller northern towns including Preston and Stockport.

With empty stores being one physical manifestation of how the economic downturn has hit Coventry city centre, Coun Singh fears shoppers could increasingly visit neighbouring shopping centres instead, including Solihull, Leamington and Birmingham.

He hopes to launch an e-petition on the council’s website today for people to sign, and paper petitions will be circulated in the city centre and elsewhere.

His petition reads: “We the undersigned urge Coventry City Council to pilot a (reward based) free city centre parking and public transport trial, designed to encourage more visitors and trade to the heart of Coventry.

“The council should engage local businesses and Centro to also take part in the trial.

"Daily rewards of free parking and public transport fares can be awarded to those who spend more than £10.

“The aim of the petitioners is to see an increase in the future prosperity and regeneration of our great city.”

He told the Telegraph: “The decline of the town centre is an emergency situation and I think we need to act now to reverse the downward trend.

“I strongly believe car parking charges are putting off visitors with disposable income.

“Other cities also continue to regenerate. For example, the massive £1billion plus redevelopment of Birmingham New Street is happening now.

“The enterprise zone in Birmingham will compete directly with Coventry.

"The HS2 hub near the NEC along with a planned runway extension to Birmingham airport is likely to add further pressure on Coventry.

“In my view, this leaves Coventry a two-to-five year window to make a difference.

"Otherwise we may be left so far behind that the decline frankly becomes irreversible.”

“A ‘rewards based’ free parking and public transport scheme could be used as a tool to offer Coventry a comparative advantage.

“In attracting more visitors, it may persuade businesses to consider Coventry as a viable investment opportunity and kick starting long delayed regeneration plans.”

n To sign the petition go to http://epetitions.coventry.gov.uk/2011/ ... king-trial

[rebbonk]

An interesting initiative. Problem is, there is already little to go into the centre for anyway these days. Perhaps this has come a little too late?

However, I do wish him well with his endeavours.

[dutchman]

I doubt very much the offer of parking vouchers will persuade many people to venture into the city centre as it is now, maybe a few years ago it might have worked? My first preference today whether on foot or by car would be one of the out-of-town retail parks.