Relaxing parking rules: 'The council can easily afford to be generous'

IT is encouraging to see that the council finally appears to be acknowledging that some traders in the city are suffering as a result of the double whammy of the credit crunch and the disruption caused by the preparatory works for the trams.

The idea of relaxing the parking rules in evenings and Saturday afternoons during November and December is to be applauded and were the amnesty to be extended to cover the January sales it would doubtless provide a welcome boost to the city's economy.

The latest figures, released last week, regarding the number of parking fines handed out appear to back up claims from the likes of motoring organisations and the Federation of Small Business that drivers are being discouraged from coming into town.

Fewer fines are being handed out in main city centre streets such as George Street, Chambers Street and Melville Street than ever before. While this could be down to increased compliance with the regulations the more likely explanation is that fewer drivers are willing to negotiate the labyrinth of roadworks to gain access to the main shopping areas.

If that were to be the case it would indeed be worrying, particularly at a time when many traders will already be feeling the effects of a credit crunch and the resultant drop in consumer spending.

Many businesses are also now approaching the most critical time of the year when increased turnover in the build-up to Christmas is essential to ensure survival. It is therefore vital that the Open for Business campaign lives up to its billing and that every encouragement is given to shoppers to come into the city centre.

Transport leader Phil Wheeler has sounded a cautionary note re a January extension saying that the council will have to look closely at the implications. Clearly there are some. The council will lose some revenue from parking charges. But just days after the Evening News revealed that it is now raking in excess of £20 million a year in parking charges and fines from motorists it can easily afford to be generous and give both drivers and businesses a much deserved break and perhaps in the process demonstrate that the city is not anti-car, nor is the whole parking industry built around the desire to make easy money.

Relaxation of the rules is perhaps even something that should be considered outwith the festive period, particularly to help those with businesses in areas worst affected by the ongoing tram works.