Free parking at Christmas is a step in the right direction, say Liscard traders

Nov 11 2009 by Carrie Catterall, Birkenhead News

LISCARD shopkeepers say free parking during the Christmas period is a “small step” in a bid to help them beat the recession.

Months after they launched a Shop Local campaign and started a petition to urge the council to introduce free parking, the authorities have decided to take a “step in the right direction”.

Now shoppers throughout Wirral will be able to park for free in certain car parks every Thursday in December (December 3, 10 and 17).

In Liscard these car parks will include the Cherry Tree Centre, Seaview Road and a smaller car park near Liscard Way.

There will also be free parking all day on Boxing Day and New Year's Day to help attract shoppers to post-Christmas sales.

Funding for this will come from money set aside from this year's reduction in the rate of VAT. Terry Hunter, who launched Liscard’s Shop Local Campaign, said: “This is going to help us in a small way but it would be so much better if it was indefinite. “In an ideal world I would like all the parking to be free all the time because that’s how it used to be.

“That way people can stop off at their local shops without worrying about getting a parking ticket.

“But I suppose free parking for one afternoon every week for a month is better than nothing at all.

“It’s definitely a step in the right direction.”

Councillor Leah Fraser thinks this period of free parking is the least the council can do.

She said: “It would be much better if this was extended to last for as long as the recession does.”

Councillor Jean Quinn, cabinet member for Streetscene and Transport, said: "In the short-term during the recession, we need to support retailers and shoppers throughout the Christmas period and passing on VAT savings to Christmas shoppers in the form of free parking is one way of doing this."