This is the full content of the letter Newport Business Association has sent to IW Council members and Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely.
It pleads the case for fairer parking charges in the county town and proposes a four-month trial of its proposals through the autumn.
Dear all,
Context
Newport traders recognise the generic changes and challenges that towns face and the need for strategic reshaping around future lifestyles and uses.
Traders also recognise the difficult budgetary scenarios facing the council and the historic contribution of parking revenue and wish to work with the council to find an optimum balance.
However, parking revenue expectations based on council budget need rather than value for money is no longer realistic or reconcilable with sustainability.
Current charges
Street Parking Car Parks – short stay
Up to 30mins £1.00 Up to 30mins £1.10
30-60mins £2.00 30-60 mins £1.70
1-3 hours £4.00 1-2 hours £3.40
2-3 hours £5.10
Parking charges are not only impeding business and impacting potential trade but actively driving businesses which are likely to retain physical local premises and their customers out of the town centre. This is still playing out with further decline in occupancy expected.
It is between 40% - 60% more expensive to park in Newport town than in Central Southampton Westquay Car Park! Further proposed increases for this year are simply untenable and in no way compatible with the sustainability of our County town.
Parking cost and convenience is cited daily to businesses as a reason for not visiting the town or for visiting less frequently and only when essential. Changes hastened by the pandemic have impacted the offer and experience of the town and therefore this further changes the perceived value of parking to visitors.
Whilst a smaller centre is likely, regeneration and a vibrant commercial and community centre is possible and important for the County town of the Isle of Wight.
Business will play its part and is positive that given a reasonable chance the town, as a central part of an Island economy, can thrive, attract occupancy, and contribute to the town wellbeing.
The contribution of local town centre business is large for local and national revenue generation, important for jobs, especially local, flexible and starter roles and for local business opportunities – it is not adequately weighted against the ‘Cash Cow’ of parking due to the structure of local government finances.
As is widely recognised, Newport town centre is in a desperate and worsening state. Radical action is needed, and right now. This Autumn, and running up to Christmas, will be a determining time for many Newport businesses as government support and the furlough scheme ends. Newport needs every support possible.
NBA proposal
Charges must be clear and simple and represent reasonable value for the experience rather than be a major barrier to visiting town.
Levels are intended to encourage visitors to come and to stay longer and would encourage use of unused capacity in our main car parks - to some extent off setting reduced revenue and building back sustainably.
The proposal is a trial for 4 months (September 1st to December 31st).
On street parking areas
Impulse, convenience and small purchase trips are hugely important, pull in free street parking is essential and trade is easily lost if it is much easier and cheaper to drive on to out of town locations.
• 30 minutes free
• £1 per 30 mins thereafter
• Maximum stay 2 hours
Car parks – all main IWC car parks
• First 60 minutes free
• £1 per hour thereafter
All car parks to be designated as long stay.
Expected impact of proposal and measurement:
• Increased footfall in town centre – measured by digital footfall measurement software and retailer feedback.
• Supports other initiatives to generate Newport town centre trading activity - eg. Open Air In The Square.
• Increased dwell time in town centre. Evidence from other town centres eg. Darlington, where there is a free parking offer that leads to people opting to pay for a longer stay and has generated more car park occupancy and additional payments.
• High on street parking rate (after initial free 30 mins) will drive people to park in main car parks for long stay. Most car park revenues are retained, despite free parking offer, as people pay to stay longer.
• Impact on parking revenue, inevitably some loss with some offset from growing use of the town and car parks.
We also suggest exploring the advantages of a £5 all day parking ticket.
We are urging all parties to consider and look to support the proposal, which we feel is balanced in restoring our County town to a healthy centre of the Island, viable for business and retaining a level of income to the local authority. The outstanding support from over 100 Newport businesses and growing received so far is listed below.
Your faithfully
John McLaughlin, Chair, Newport Business Association
Newport-based businesses supporting NBA proposal
Business name
1 Holyrood
AAA Records
Adrienne Roath
Ape Vapes
Bernards Shoes
Blue Door Café
Andrew Ross Hair
Arnold Heal Ltd
Arty Crafty Party
Available Light
AW Developments
Barbers Cube
Barrhead Travel
Beautify & Just You
Bijou
Caffe Isola
Central Collectable
Chips
Chloe’s Nails and Beauty
Cloud 9
Coastal Mobility
Comicoffee
Computer Plus
Cornerstop Café
Couture
Crockshop & Ralphs
Dabell Flooring
Delivering Sales Excellence
Dominos
Easyweigh
Ellis Hair Studio
ERMC Ltd
Essentially Wight
Event Greetings
Farmhouse Fayre
Farnsworths
Fields Menswear
Fine & Country
Forget Me Not
French Franks
God’s Providence
Hair By Chelsea
Hair Leaders
Helerslea Fabrics
Heroes
Hunnyhill Aquatics
Hose Rhodes Dickson
Island Hire Centre
Isle of Wight Bikes
Isle of Wight Traders
Leather & Suede
Live wire
Love Coffee
Love Running
Master of Disguise
Metier Ingenuity
Minifigure Montage
Nail & Beauty
New Rembrandt Gallery
Newport Alehouse
Newport Fried Chicken
Noodle Pot
O’hanlon & Ray
Oggies
Peaches
Pets With Hart
Prince of Wales
Purple Dreams
Ralph’s Healthfood Shop
Readers Interiors
Retreat Café
Richmonds Bakery
Sheer Pink
Sight for Wight
Silverscreen Autographs
Skin Trade
Stotesburys
St Pizza
Steampunk Vape-shop
Subway
Sweet Charlies
Take Two
Tech Store
The Entertainer
The Little Nook
The Works
Theodosia
Tile Superstore
TM Barber
TM Taylor & Sons
Toto
Town Choice
Tri First
Visual Impact Ladies Wear
Visual Impact Menswear
W Hurst & Son (IW) Ltd
Walled Garden
Waterstones
Watson Bull & Porter
Wheatsheaf & Charter House
Where Beauty Begins
WH Hursts
Wight Mountain
Wight Opal
With A Difference
WW Woodford Butchers
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