Conservative Group Leader Calls for Southport Parking Adjustment to Boost Local Trade

Earlier this month at the Sefton Council meeting at Southport Town Hall, Conservative Group Leader on Sefton Council, Mike Prendergast, called for a review of pay and display parking arrangements in Southport.

Many local businesses are reporting significant drops in footfall and car parking and the associated charges are regularly mentioned by town centre traders as issues they would like to see Sefton Council address.

Mike Prendergast commented, “Southport town centre, like many high streets across the country, is competing with online retail, out of town shopping centres and nearby cities, like Liverpool and Manchester, who have invested heavily in their retail and leisure sectors.”

“We need to be creating the environment to encourage people to visit and spend their money in Southport. Right now, we have a situation where we are giving people reasons not to come rather than to visit. Sefton Council are putting up barriers to trade.”

“Once again though, the Sefton Labour administration have shown they are totally unwilling to even consider changes to parking arrangements to support local businesses. Southport’s Labour councillors voted against the proposal, voting against supporting their own town centre traders.”

“All other Southport councillors supported the proposal so it was especially disappointing to see Southport’s Labour councillors vote against the idea.”

“I think a change to our parking arrangements, to perhaps include something along the lines of 3 hours free, would be a boost for our town centre.”

“During the meeting, Labour councillors described the idea of reviewing parking arrangements as ‘lazy’. I think it’s lazy to sit back and do nothing on this issue and simply watch as town centre traders struggle after a very difficult season.”