Sponsored by
Traders' anger over market traffic ban - COMMENT ON THIS STORY
TRADERS say a trial traffic ban in Pickering's Market Place should be shelved.
Businesses and market stallholders claim their trade has been hit by the ban on traffic on market days.
The year-long experiment in the Market Place was introduced last week and traders claim there was a noticeable drop in business.
On Monday this week they say it was little better.
Neil Armstrong of Ryedale Rambler, said: "If it continues I can only see the market traders leaving and businesses shutting down.
"We've already had a hard year with the floods and we were just starting to get back to a better way of life when this happens. They've taken a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
"I agree the traffic is bad, particularly in the summer holidays, but it doesn't cause any long term harm.
"What they need to do is put everything back the way it was and then the council should police the market stalls effectively and the police should stop the illegal parking."
Gary Russell, of Russells Cafe and Bakery said: "The traffic ban is ridiculous. The wording on the signs says the Market Place is closed so anyone who is new to the town will think the whole thing is closed and drive on to somewhere like Helmsley."
Mr Russell says he has elderly customers who arrive and leave by taxi – but their taxi is now banned from the Market Place on Mondays, as is his hot food and sandwich van which delivers to the industrial estates and drives to the cafe to re-stock.
Mr Russell believes that instead of banning all traffic on Mondays, the authorities should ban disabled drivers who park on the double yellow lines on the north side of the Market Place and give them free car parking at The Ropery instead.
Illegal parking should also be tackled, he said
Traffic is banned between 10am and 4pm and market stallholders say they have been told it will be rigidly enforced.
Joanne Dawson, who has a card stall, said: "If the weather is bad and we want to bring our van in before 4pm to pack up, we're told we'll get a ticket. They haven't gone the right way about this at all.
"We're setting up our stalls and packing them up at the peak time for traffic, when children are going to school and there are vans, cars and lorries about. How can that be safe?"
Pickering councillor Natalie Warriner has called on the authorities to ensure the traffic ban is monitored regularly and for the police to be absolutely clear what vehicles are allowed into the Market Place between 10am and 4pm.
She said: "It's quite scary to see how quiet the Market Place is on Mondays now. I'm getting anxious about the long term future for local businesses. We've got to protect our market towns. I don't want to see the one I live in die."
*WHAT Do You Think? Click HERE To Let Us Know Or Post Your Comments Online
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Malton
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
