Lib Dems Launch Parking Petition - Save our City Centre (Cllr Marc Ramsbottom)

Cllr Marc Ramsbottom <info@marcramsbottom.org.uk>

Lib Dems Launch Parking Petition - Save our City Centre

January 23, 2007 8:20 PM

Cllr Marc Ramsbottom collecting petition signatures in Chinatown. Many businesses in Chinatown will be badly affected by the plans to charge until midnight every day of the week.

Cllr Marc Ramsbottom (left) with city centre colleague Cllr Ken Dobson collecting signatures for the petition.

Manchester City Centre Liberal Democrat Councillors Ken Dobson, Marc Ramsbottom and Elaine Boyes today launched a petition opposing controversial plans to extend parking charges to the evenings and Sundays, from 8am to midnight seven days a week. The petition is available online at www.manchester.libdems.org.uk.

Cllr Dobson said today:

"The Liberal Democrats oppose these unnecessary and ill-considered proposals. Congestion in the city centre is mainly at rush hour or in hot spots - not on Sundays and Evenings. These plans will cost City Centre residents more, but do little to cut congestion. I urge City Centre residents to let the Council know what they think about these plans."

Cllr Ramsbottom added:

"The Trafford Centre must be rubbing its hands in glee. These proposal could put at risk jobs in the night-time economy. The Council has rightly encouraged people to live and visit the City Centre. Now they want to tax them into going outside the city."

Cllr Ramsbottom has sent a letter of objection to Labor parking boss Cllr Neil Swannick. A copy of this can be view in the section about city centre residents information at this website