CENTRE SITES ARE CHEAP, PLENTIFUL, SAFE, AND CONVENIENT

By John Roberts

Bradford has been hailed as the most car-friendly city in the Yorkshire region by council bosses.

The council-run car parks in Bradford are cheaper than any other city in North, West, or South Yorkshire and Humberside.

And motorists pay less for all-day parking in council car parks in Bradford than anywhere else in West Yorkshire.

Colin Clayton, the authority’s parking services manager, believes the ease of access and cheapness of parking spaces in the city centre makes Bradford the number one place to shop in the county.

He has today backed the Telegraph & Argus Buy It In Bradford campaign and urged people to make the most of what the city has to offer.

The campaign was launched last week to urge readers to continue to shop in Bradford while the city undergoes massive redevelopment.

Motorists who shop in the city can use Bradford Council car parks for 50p an hour compared with £1.10 in neighbouring Leeds, while all day parking in the city costs £2.20 compared with £5.80 in Leeds City Council car parks.

Bradford Council runs 18 car parks in the city centre offering 1,776 spaces.

The authority is also taking steps to make sure cars parked in the city are protected from criminals.

Four car parks run by the authority at Oastler Centre, Rawson Road, Burnett Street and Radwell Drive already have Secured Car Park status and the council aims to achieve the award for both its Wigan Street and St Thomas car parks in the next 12 months, with more to follow.

Secured Car Park status is a joint initiative between the British Parking Association and the Association of Chief Police Officers which is awarded to car parks which are designed to thwart car crime.

Mr Clayton said: “To receive the award the car park has to have a fence or a barrier around the edge to prevent criminals from getting in or out. It must also be well lit and have lighting up to British Standards.

“And it must be covered by Closed Circuit Television. If anything happens at our secured car parks, if someone needs help, they can push a buzzer and be put through to the council’s CCTV control room who can see them on cameras straight away and inform the police.”

He said: “ Bradford has 1,776 council spaces to park in and that does not include the private parking available at the Kirkgate Centre, Sunwin House, the NCP at Hall Ings and the Leisure Exchange development.

“And when Broadway opens they are talking about that having another 1,800 spaces available so that will be doubling what we already have available in the city.”

The privately run multi-storey car parks at the Kirkgate Centre and the Leisure Exchange have also received the Secured Car Park award .

A spokesman for the Kirkgate Centre said: “Improving the car park was a major part of the refurbishment of the centre four years ago. We now have 24 CCTV cameras and improved signage and lighting.

“The car parks are also regularly patrolled by security staff. Since this has happened there have been hardly any reports of car crime at the centre at all.

“It has been a worthwhile investment for the Kirkgate Centre. We believe the improvement of the car park has encouraged more people to shop here and to park here

“People want to feel they are leaving their car in a safe place when they come to shop.”

e-mail:john.roberts@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

Young at heart!	Customer loyalty is our trade mark after 40 years!
Zahoor Sabir, above, at PcFriend in Darley Street said that the T&A drive had come at the ideal time to support existing traders in the city. Mr Sabir said: “I read about it in the paper and I think this campaign is a really good idea. We opened a couple of months ago and it is quiet at the moment. We need to get more people shopping in the city centre. “The older families will always come to Bradford but a lot of younger people can be tempted to go to Leeds. With development at Rawson Market and Broadway the future is looking bright. “I am from Bradford and I think the city centre has picked up but we need more to come into the city to see what it is here so they can get to know us.”	Table Decor’s manager Derek Mewett, above, urged shoppers to get behind the Telegraph & Argus Buy It In Bradford campaign to show pride in their city. He said: “We are wholeheartedly behind this campaign. We are proud of Bradford, we always try to source things locally whenever possible. We have got a good following of customers but we have been here in Bradford for 40 years. Customers come to us from places like York and London. “Because we have been here a long time people find out about us through a friend or a member of the family but I think a lot of people don’t realise what Bradford has to offer. “There is much new building going on in Bradford at the moment and that has got to be a good thing.”