Everton parking plan changes 'don't go far enough'

Planned tweaks to parking rules near Everton's new stadium do not go far enough, worried business owners have said.

Ahead of the Toffeemen moving into their new stadium this summer, Liverpool City Council introduced parking restrictions within a 30-minute walking radius of the Bramley-Moore Dock site.

Blackstock Market owner Paul Blair said takings had dropped 47% within the first week of the new rules being in place.

The council, which earlier this week announced some amendments to the rules following feedback, said the consultation process was ongoing.

Under the new restrictions, parking is limited 365 days a year, not just on matchdays.

"There's about 3,000 business that operate their businesses here," Mr Blair said.

"The council has not thought them at all in any planning for this."

Initial restrictions introduced in February saw street parking limited to one hour.

Following complaints, this has been extended in some areas to two hours.

Mr Blair said that was still not enough and warned that long-established companies were being forced out by the council's actions.

"They are definitely driving existing businesses away," he said.

"Some have been here for over 50 years and now they are essentially being forced out."

Mr Blair, who opened Blackstock Market nine months ago, said he would not have invested in the area had he have known about the plans to restrict parking.

"The first week of restrictions being introduced... our week-on-week sales were down 47%," he said.

The businessman said there was "no need" for the parking restrictions to apply every day.

"We need removal of the non-matchday restrictions," said Mr Blair.

Meanwhile, Downland Bedding's managing director Fraser Smith said he had already lost members of staff who had cited parking problems as a reason for leaving the family-owned business on Blackstock Street.

"It will definitely deter people from coming to work here," he said.

"We were established in 1946 ... we've been here a long time, employing tens of thousands of people over the years in what is known as a deprived area.

"There has not been enough consultation. We have objected in writing and have had no response.

"I think there is a lot of focus on the football club and not enough focus on the many, many thousands of business in the area that will be severely impacted.

"Why would you want to punish businesses every day when it will only impact Everton for maybe up to 50 days of the year?"

Liverpool City Council recently said its Experimental Traffic Road Order (ETRO) would remain under review over the next 18 months and further changes could follow.

Councillor Dan Barrington, cabinet member for transport, said: "A key aim of the Experimental Zone is tackling the problem of commuter parking 365 days a year, as well as illegal and unsafe parking on double yellow lines and pavements.

"These issues impact the area all year round and it's vital we get this right to support its economic development and to tackle congestion, especially as more businesses set up here and more residential schemes are developed."

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