WE welcome Bolton Council's re-think about town centre car parking - a move which is vital if the town is to compete with the Trafford Centre shopping development off the M63 at Dumplington.
The concept of making long-stay car parking in the heart of the town centre more expensive is commercially sound, provided it is done sensibly. These short-stay car parks should be extremely cheap for the first three or four hours, to attract shoppers, with prices rising steeply thereafter, to deter all-day parking.
It is equally essential that the new arrangement should accommodate retail and office staff in low-cost, long-stay car parks on the town centre fringe.
Bolton's planning policy has positively encouraged office and shop developments and the council must accept some responsibility for providing affordable parking reasonably close to work places. If Bolton's car parking strategy is prudently handled, the threat posed by Trafford Centre can be reduced - which can only be good news for everyone with a stake in our town's continued prosperity.
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