RESIDENTS have launched a scathing attack on the council for introducing Sunday parking charges which they claim have “done a great job for the post office”.
John Jewson, of Edenbridge Road, Enfield, has slammed Enfield Council for putting the high street at risk by driving shoppers “away from the town and towards online shopping”.
The retired ambulance driver told the Advertiser: “People are not prepared to pay the extra money to park on a Sunday and so, quite simply more and more people will go online to buy things rather than walk round the shops.”
Mr Jewson believes the council’s decision to impose Sunday charges will hit traders already struggling in the current economic climate and could leave Enfield Town struggling to continue as a busy shopping hub.
“People often go down to the retail parks and Brent Cross because it is free to park down there.
If more and more people decide it just isn’t worth paying to park in the town centre then those people won’t be spending their money in the shops,”he fumed.
In a stark warning to the local authority he said that there is a real risk that Enfield could turn into a “ghost town” with boarded-up shops and vacant premises.
His fears, which are shared by traders and politicians as well as residents of the area, come after a number of chains with stores in the town announced they had entered administration, leaving question marks hanging over the future of the heart of Enfield’s shopping precincts.
Helen Osman a Winchmore Hill resident and business campaigner said: “This scheme is going to have a massive impact. I spend a lot of time talking to local businesses they feel that the fact you can’t park for free on a Sunday will totally destroy local trade and custom.”
According to Ms Osman, parking is a make or break issue for traders and her website, n21online.com, is campaigning to have the first 20 minutes of any stay completely free.
Mr Jewson was also highly dismissive of the argument that the charges will mean more
people will take public transport. He added: “If people do a lot of shopping, they are not going to take the bus, particularly not if they have young children.
“The council should want to protect shops because otherwise, what will Enfield town become?”
But defending the council’s decision, Chris Bond, cabinet member for environment, is adamant the scheme will not damage trade in the town.
According to the councillor, the charges are not high enough to act as a deterrent. He said: “Most shopping trips last less than two hours, the cost of parking in a Council car park for this period will be £1, we think that is a very reasonable price and is extremely unlikely to discourage anyone from travelling to Enfield Town centre to shop by car.
“The Sunday tariff changes are designed to reduce congestion and increase the turnover of both on and off-street parking, and encourage alternative forms of travel to the town.
“We consulted extensively and listened to the views of traders. In fact we changed our proposals after I spoke to shopkeepers, especially Waitrose, to delay the charge until after Christmas.”
enfield today
