My speech to full council tonight about Parking fees in Ryde Town.

We got commitment that cabinet are going to reconsider the implementation ! Yipheeee

Thank you for allowing me to present the peoples petition relating to parking fees for Ryde town.

This petition shows the depth of support of Ryde residents who are, extremely supportive of their Town, local independent businesses and the impact on residents living in the area. 3581 people have signed .... No public consultation has seen a response like this one.

Our town and businesses in Ryde need to be supported to survive and flourish for many reasons.

We are a commuter town, one of the main gateways to our Island and first impressions count.

We do not want the image of our Island blighted by a high street full of closed shops. We need to encourage and assist businesses to thrive, prosper.

I believe - and so do the thousands of people that have signed this petition - that introducing parking charges for the town centre will badly affect the town centre businesses and lead to closures as a result of people altering their shopping habits.

Up and down the country, town centres are falling into terminal decline as people move away from paying for parking to shop in town.

Shoppers are being drawn to 'out of town stores’ with free parking, easy access and an unhindered shopping experience, whilst Internet shopping also puts pressure on our towns independent retailers.

The situation is becoming so bad across the Island and Nationally that central government has promised to give assistance by cutting business rate bills by one-third for retailers.

The Isle of Wight Council seems to be considering decisions that are the opposite to the Government plans to help our high streets. It seems an enormous contradiction to be encouraging shops and town centres with reduced business rates whilst making it more difficult to visit them!

We hear talk of investing in tackling loneliness, yet we put barriers in place for people to be able to pop into their local town… shop …meet and pass time…whilst also rejuvenating our towns.

Ryde benefits from a significant number of independent traders. 
Many local people have invested their own time and money, wanting to create a vibrant town with a welcoming community.

Thousands have disagreed with your proposals by signing this petition… because your proposals are going to impact and affect our town very badly indeed…. I urge you all to think again very carefully about the current proposals.

On the Councils own website, it states “Our aim is to provide a service and consistent approach to all elements of parking management that will support the local community, while proving beneficial to residents, tourist and businesses”

However, this proposal which is drawn out from your budget saving exercise does not take this into consideration whatsoever, instead it will deliver the exact opposite of your wishes. We need to be supporting shops and businesses locally.

I acknowledge that every town on the Isle of Wight suffers from similar issues and realise that pressures on parking need to be considered. BUT ... and it is a big BUT .... It must not, cannot and should not be a 'one size fits all’ scenario for parking.

Ryde needs its own parking strategy.

I have spoken with businesses and residents and they would like these issues addressed.

Changing Union Street to one zone
Keeping at least 60 mins free parking

Reasonably priced Business parking permits, as car park charges are too high for those working all day in our town.

Without this I believe it will have a huge impact on our already overloaded side street with more people looking for free parking.

I do welcome the news that business associations are meeting with the council later this month. It is also the case, however, that the individual residents - who stand to pay the price – are without a voice and a formal forum in which to raise their collective concerns. This petition delivers the collective voice of thousands of your residents who have spoken.

I urge you all to please listen to the community

THOSE YOU REPRESENT

CONSIDER the wider effects of your policies and think SERIOUSLY about the cause and effect of your decisions. The Island is watching your response to this petition closely, please listen to their wishes....

THANK YOU