City Council actions threaten closure to Lancaster city centre businesses.

Without doubt, I consider the biggest threat Lancaster city centre & businesses within the district have ever faced is the proposed removal of parking proposed by Lancaster City Council without a clear tranposrt strategy in place.

We need help from the public to fight back - please sign this petition to confirm your opposaition to planned car park closures and to protect city centre businesses and help save your High Street.

Every signature counts!

 

Footfall will dramatically drop due to vast reduction of parking, leading to forced closures of the majority of businesses in town. This will have a direct and immediate impact on the local economy due to drastic job losses within our city. 

As Councillor Gina Dowling openly admitted at the parking meeting held at The Grand Theatre, the Park and Ride “needs work”.  Lancaster City & Lancashire County Councils clearly don’t have a good working relationship. 

This needs to improve and a proper transportation plan needs to be implemented, working efficiently before any reduction in spaces can even be considered. 

The Park & Ride will end up being one of the only forms of access into the city centre & it’s shocking to use. 

We have been informed by members of the council that the council currently owns multiple properties and land that could easily be utilised for social housing. 

Why does parking need to be pitted against social housing when revenue could be generated from both?  As the council is running at a deficit, would this not make economic sense?

I believe Lancaster City Council are not adhering to the Nolan Principles of standards in public life. 

 

Selfishness - not acting in the public’s best interest.
 

Integrity - having employees with a vested interest.
 

Objectivity - this seems very one sided with no thought for the consequences to businesses and jobs within the city centre or the “buzz” of the centre.
 

Openness – very limited engagement with business community or the public. Even finding the online parking strategy is a lengthy process, it’s not an easy read with a lengthy process to fill in if you oppose. This is shocking and almost comes across as intentional, so the council gets less backlash. 
 

Honesty- Gina Dowding has shaken my hand and looked me directly in the eyes promising to keep working with businesses and keep us in the loop. As far as I am aware no business within the city centre has heard from her since my meeting approximately 18 months ago. 
 

Leadership - no clear transportation plan, it’s a joke.
 

On behalf of all businesses, I am extremely worried for our futures and the staff we employ. We go into business with a passion for what we do it’s heartbreaking that the council would do this to us and our city. We work hard and don’t deserve this.

I am currently collecting signatures of businesses and individuals who support my concerns and call on you to put an immediate stop all car park closures until a confirmed long term strategy if finalised and ready to mitigate any losses.

 

You can also respond to the City Council's own consultation HERE.