‘Spy car driving trade away from Churchgate’
8:57am Friday 27th January 2012 in News
BOLTON Council has deployed its CCTV Smart car in the town’s historic Churchgate to stop cars parking on the pavement and damaging expensive flagging.
But the “spy car” is driving trade away from Bolton’s famous Ye Olde Pastie Shoppe with customers telling owners they do not want to pay to park for the sake of a two-minute visit to the shop.
There are no yellow lines along Churchgate as the council does not want to ruin the traditional look of the cobbled street and metal bollards have also been ruled out for aesthetic reasons.
But Pastie Shoppe owner Marie Walsh said this would be an easy way to prevent cars stopping on the pavement and cracking flags.
Mrs Walsh added: “It does put people off and people come here saying they have been booked.
“People don’t want to pay more than £1 to park and come in for a pastie. Some people have big orders but don’t want to park in case they get booked.
“We have had customers telling us they’re not coming here anymore because they don’t want to get booked. The signs aren’t sufficient and there are no yellow lines.”
Signs state there is strictly no parking along the road. Cars and vans are permitted to load and unload, but this does not include nipping into the shop for a quick pastie, the council said. A council spokesman said: “The loading bay is for local businesses and customers who need access for loading and delivery purposes only, and is not designed as a short term parking solution for other motorists.
“The Smart car has been deployed as there is a recurring problem with motorists who insist on abusing the traffic regulations, especially driving and parking on the flagged areas.”
The council said this was putting pedestrians at risk, as well as causing damage to paving stones. The spokesman said Churchgate was designed to be a “pedestrian friendly open space”.
The council spent £1 million resurfacing Churchgate in 2006.
