News from Sheffield Labour

“Broomhill parking problems needs fixing to help local traders” – Paul Blomfield

After meeting with Broomhill traders and residents Paul Blomfield, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Sheffield Central, is demanding that Sheffield City Council urgently make long-promised changes to the controlled parking zone in Broomhill to help local traders. In December the Council agreed that a number of parking bays were to be changed from one-hour to two-hour parking. But nearly five months later the Council still hasn’t made the changes. Broomhill traders say longer parking tickets will encourage and help more customers to shop in Broomhill.

Paul Blomfield met with one concerned trader, Jayne Dunn, who owns and runs the Revive Beauty salon on the corner of Ashgate Road in Broomhill.

Jayne Dunn said:

“I run a beauty salon and many customers have appointments over an hour long. If they could park for longer they would be able to visit other shops in Broomhill and support other local traders. The current one-hour limit on parking is driving our trade away. The Council have been promising to increase the amount of two-hour parking for months now and said it would be done by the Spring, now they’re saying it’ll be June. Why is it taking so long?”

Paul Blomfield said:

“The Lib Dem Council often talk about supporting local businesses but they’re badly letting down local traders in Broomhill. These parking changes were promised months ago but they still haven’t been implemented. We need to support our local businesses during these tough times so I want these changes made urgently.”

Paul Blomfield is also backing calls from traders to allow limited parking in non-residential streets around Broomhill. Traders are concerned that new restrictions will force them to park too far from their businesses.

“Clearly the parking system in Broomhill needs to find the right balance between the needs of residents, shoppers and traders. The Council should instruct their staff who are out there enforcing Broomhill parking to get feedback from all users to make the system work better and fairly for everyone. We need a more flexible and creative approach from the Council.”

Other news from Sheffield Labour

• Station Bridge roundtable with Transport Ministers announced - 8 February 2012
• Paul Blomfield MP slams Tory "ambush" of Government Fair Access Director - 8 February 2012
• Angela Smith MP highlights economic problems faced by Barnsley - 7 February 2012