Mayor defends loss of street parking places outside shops
TRADERS ANGRY THEY WERE NOT CONSULTED AND SAY BUSINESS WILL BE AFFECTED
SIR Peter Soulsby says he will not be apologising after removing parking spaces from a shopping street without consulting traders.
A number of businesses in Queen’s Road, Clarendon Park, contacted the Mercury to complain about swift changes the city mayor is bringing into the area as part of his Covid-19 transport recovery plan.
Work began last week on a scheme intended to allow socially-distanced shopping in Queen’s Road by sacrificing parking spaces to widen pavements.
Some businesses, however, are furious the first they knew about the changes was when workers arrived and started coning off parking bays.
They said the parking spaces were vital to their businesses recovery.
There have been calls for the work to be immediately halted and parking restored.
However, Sir Peter said there was no going back.
He said: “I see no reason to apologise for taking an opportunity to try to make Leicester a more pleasant place for residents, shoppers, walkers, cyclists and businesses.
“I have been very pleased by the overwhelming support we are getting in Clarendon Park for what is an emergency measure to help small shops and other businesses by ensuring there is adequate space for people to observe safe social distancing when visiting them or queueing outside.
“I remember, not so long ago, when some people were claiming Jubilee Square would kill the city centre.
“I haven’t had any recent clamour for us to reinstate that scruffy bit of car parking.”
Simon Fairey, of Christopher James Deli, said: “The council – overnight, with no consultation or explanation – invoked a no parking scheme from Howard Road to Clarendon Park Road.
“This is going to have a dramatic impact on all the small independent businesses striving to continue to trade and those which will try to reopen.
“We all rely on our customers, many of whom travel to Queen’s Road from all over the county to shop with us.
“Forcing them to try to park in the already full side roads will lead to this much-needed revenue disappearing.
“Businesses have remained trading over the lockdown. We have diversified our businesses, offering collection and delivery.
“The support has been amazing and we hope to see customer shopping habits change by supporting us after the easing of lockdown.
“Cutting off our customers from Queen’s Road could effectively put people out of business.”
Anwar Hussain, of Barcelonetta, said: “Businesses have already massively suffered in Clarendon Park as a result of Covid-19.
“It feels as if the imposition has not been properly thought through and I have no doubt whatsoever there will be unintentional consequences,
possibly even catastrophic consequences.
“We appreciate the authorities are in an unenviable position and are doing their best to protect citizens.
“However, not informing those same citizens as to important decisions being taken that will affect their daily lives does not bring us together in a common purpose.
“There are a lot of questions to be asked and indeed answered by Leicester City Council, including why there was no warning as to what was to come.”
A city council spokesman said: “We needed to respond quickly, so detailed consultation on plans in advance has not been feasible.
“As an emergency responder, we have got to prioritise pedestrian safety and accept there will be some impact on traffic and parking as a result.
“These measures support businesses reopening.
“However, we are committed to listening to stakeholder feedback and make positive changes where it is safe and reasonable to do so.
“We accept schemes may need to be adapted in future to strike the right balance between risks and competing demands.
“Traffic remains very quiet on routes around the city, ranging between 40 per cent and 60 per cent of pre-Covid levels and with only a gradual increase since early May.
“However, we have seen increases in people walking and cycling within their areas.
“It would be difficult normally to maintain two-metre distancing in Queens Road without walking into the road itself.
“In terms of parking near the Queens Road area, there is a mixture of limited waiting and free parking in Victoria Park Road and St Mary’s Triangle.
“There is also limited waiting in Queens Road between Howard Road and Victoria Park Road.
“With the universities, schools and colleges closed, the daily influx of commuter parking into the Clarendon Park area should be much lighter.”
Leicester Tories deputy chairman Rhys Brown said: “Shopkeepers from Queens Road, have been left disappointed.
“They were not consulted before the Queens Road scheme began.
“The independent stores have written to the mayor and requested a meeting with him, as well as deputy mayor Adam Clarke and the local councillors to ensure a satisfactory resolution to the issue.”