Parking in Formby Village – press release on behalf of traders on and around Chapel Lane

Press release on behalf of traders on and around Chapel Lane:

The problem of car parking in Formby village has long been clear to many of us. As business people we invest our time and money to provide a service and livelihood for our customers, staff and visitors.

We have opposed the idea of charging for use of the Sumner Road car park ever since it was first raised.

In October 2013 and again in 2015 our campaign, supported by the Parish Council, the then ward councillors and MP Bill Esterson, hit the local headlines. Since then Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council have deferred the decision in the hope that we would give way.

The car park charges came up for discussion again at the most recent Central Sefton Area Committee. It became clear that the proposal was based on an individual officer’s personal opinion, with no independent analysis of its likely effect or even the wider cost implications.

Set against this, there was strong representation from Formby businesses and residents. Several traders made impassioned statements, pointing out that car parking in Formby is a major issue and that loss of the free car park is likely to have serious knock-on effects in terms of loss of trade, inconvenience to users of health and other services and increased parking on residential streets.

A petition with over 3000 signatures opposing the charges has already been collected and submitted. Sadly it seemed at the Area Meeting that even some Formby councillors remain unwilling to respond to the concerns of the people they were elected to represent.

The matter was in the end referred back to the Cabinet Member responsible for this decision, Cllr John Fairclough, who now has the opportunity to consider all the points raised. As local traders we have sent a personal invitation for him to meet us and hear and respond to our concerns.

We hope that Cllr Fairclough will decide to kick out the threat of charges once and for all.

It is the independent traders who lead community events and invest in the village, and it is these very businesses which would be most likely to suffer from the proposed charges.