Parking Charges – Traders Response

Audlem's tourism and traders group met on Wednesday 11th October and our main agenda item was the proposed parking charges by Cheshire East on the village car park and the addition of double yellow lines around the village.

Statement by Audlem Tourism & Traders Group

Our group, which includes local businesses, traders and representatives from community groups, wholeheartedly oppose the proposed parking charges in Audlem.

This is a financially difficult, uncertain economic time and we believe Cheshire East should be supporting small, local businesses to thrive, not to impose measures that impact on our livelihoods. Businesses have already suffered during covid and lockdowns with some still finding it hard to pay back 'bounce back' loans along with the looming uncertainty of a recession. We are perplexed by the desire to support businesses during covid only to damage them now? We already face increased energy and staffing costs together with the difficulty of finding staff initially, the majority of which drive into the village and would now have to pay to park. This could make it even harder to attract staff to our businesses.

We believe that should these charges be imposed we would see a decrease in footfall to our shops and businesses and there would be a real risk that some would not be able to survive. Is this what Cheshire East wants for its villages? Empty shops and failed businesses? There seems to be no consideration of the well catalogued and publicised examples of how parking charges have decimated the high street in other areas, up and down the country. Audlem also attracts many tourists which bring much needed income into the village which in turn benefits Cheshire East! Parking charges would act as a deterrent for residents and tourists alike. The impact of more double yellow lines would reduce our footfall even further.

Free parking is attractive and helpful and means our shops and businesses can compete with the draw of nearby towns such as Nantwich, Whitchurch and Market Drayton. It is vital to entice customers to choose Audlem over anywhere else to ensure our income. We question, why would people pay 60p to access a small handful of shops & businesses in Audlem when they could pay 60p and access over 60 shops in Nantwich or up to 100 in Crewe ? Thus the parking charge proposals are fundamentally flawed, if its aim is discouraging longer car journeys.

The car park is not only used for customers of our businesses but used be those wishing to access the medical centre, visiting the local cemetery, attending groups at the public hall, accessing the gym to name a few. Accessing these groups and services are vital to the health and well-being of local residents.

These proposals specifically put Audlem Post Office services in jeopardy as it is free to park outside all three nearby local Post Offices at Woore, Wybunbury and Wrenbury. We have a predominately older population to whom this service is vital. We are confused that one of the stated aims by Cheshire East is for people to not use their cars to go shopping which again seems impractical given the high ratio of the older population in Audlem and the surrounding areas especially with the lack of other transport services.

Popular and successful village life events would also be under threat with the introduction of these charges. It could make it impossible to put on these events which again boosts our income and allows us to remain trading. Not having these village events would be a huge loss to the community and result in reduced income to us all from the lack of footfall from local residents and tourists.

We are concerned that Cheshire East has failed to produce an impact statement regarding the effects of its proposal on the local economy including the potential impact on visitor numbers and length of their stay. Where are the costings for their potential loss of business rates, of shops etc forced to close due to reduced footfall?

We hope that Cheshire East listen to our concerns and reconsider the plan to impose parking charges and double yellow lines.

On behalf of Audlem Tourism & Traders Group