Simon Danczuk MP

Fighting for Rochdale, Littleborough and Milnrow

Call for two hour’s free parking to stimulate shopping interest

Rochdale’s Labour Parliamentary Candidate, Simon Danczuk, has called on the Council to introduce two hours of free parking to help the local economy.

Speaking after he spent the Bank Holiday Monday talking to shoppers and traders about measures needed to bring business back to the town centre following a series of negative headlines, Mr Danczuk said there was a very strong consensus in favour of free parking.

“People were angry that on a Bank Holiday Monday an army of traffic wardens was patrolling the streets and issuing tickets,” he said. “We need to create incentives for people to shop in our town centre, especially as we are struggling at the moment. Market traders and shoppers have told me there is a real need for this.”

After handing out hundreds of letters thanking shoppers for bringing their custom to Rochdale, Mr Danczuk said there was a widespread feeling that the council were not doing enough to promote the town centre.

“People want to shop in our town centre but all they can see is the council letting it wither away,” he said.

“They can’t understand why the council isn’t doing more to support traders and attract shoppers back into town. Free parking would be a popular measure and it’s been a proven success in other towns. Places that have waived parking charges have seen a ten per cent increase in shoppers. Why can’t Rochdale do the same?”

Save our town centre: parking charges are killing Rochdale - Letter to Shopppers

Dear shopper,

Thank you for coming to do your shopping in Rochdale. Your trade is the lifeblood of our town and retailers rely on your custom to keep their businesses going.

We appreciate your support, especially at a time when Rochdale’s town centre has been the subject of considerable press criticism, after it emerged that nearly a third of its shops have closed down. With Council officers openly admitting we are being left behind by neighbouring towns like Bury, I am are determined to stop the rot and return our shopping areas to their former glory.

To do this, we need some common sense, practical measures that support local needs and open our town centre up to the people who use it. That’s why we’re calling for two hours of free parking in Rochdale. This simple, no nonsense rescue plan is what’s needed to get our town back on its feet.

It is clear from what local people are telling us that parking charges are killing off local trade.

While Lib Dem councillors recently had the cheek to vote to give themselves free car parking, they expect everyone else to pay. Even when it comes at the expense of the local economy.

This attitude has to be challenged and common sense must prevail. Instead of spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on marketing consultants and talking up white elephant regeneration schemes, we need to get back to basics and offer better value for money now. If we were to take the salary of just one of Rochdale’s handsomely paid council bosses this would equate to over 200,000 hours of free parking. Think about it. That would make quite a difference to traders in our town.

Getting free parking is a small step to reclaiming our town from the bureaucrats that have let us down. With your support we can start restoring Rochdale to its former glory as a proud and bustling town.

Yours sincerely,

Simon Danczuk
Rochdale’s Labour Parliamentary Candidate