I feel like I’ve been a bit of a whingebag lately, so it’s time to redress the balance!
One of my recent criticisms was of the council, who, despite being cash strapped, have thrown a load of money at cheap parking in the town centre. Not a great way to become ‘the UK’s number one sustainable community’ – we should be incentivising people to get out of their cars and onto public transport, their feet, or their bicycles.
But up to the plate steps inSwindon – ‘a Business Improvement District (BID) company, in charge of managing the Town Centre…mainly financed by our members – the businesses based in the centre of Swindon’.
Yes, while the council themselves are making it cheaper to drive into town, the local business in the town centre have teamed up with our local transport companies to provide free bus travel on the evenings of the four late-night Christmas shopping days.
I’m sure that both incentives will be good for local business, but I’m baffled about why the local business are stumping up the cash for the option that’s better for the town.