Tower Hamlets has always been a trading Market Borough, it has some of the finest street markets in the World but in recent years markets have been battered by traffic regulations whose impact has begun to destroy the historic character of this great inner city Borough.
Going shopping locally in your car has become a real nightmare, even stopping to shop for 5 minutes, you can find that a traffic offence has been committed and you have been given a Parking penalty ticket .
Local people tend to suffer most from this during peak hours, there are very few available parking spaces during the day and most of our smaller stores are located on busy main routes, those driving by might be tempted for a moment to shop and stop but when there are no places to park they just won't bother.
The lack of access to parking facilities is one of the main reasons why so many small businesses are failing, at present they simply cannot compete with the large Supermarkets providing car parking facilities for their cusomers.
Many vehicle drivers desperate to park near shops ignore yellow lines, while parked outside stores they cause congestion on busy routes.
Yet the answer is surprisingly simple. It is the introduction of 'Stop and Shop' drive in bays cut into pavements along busy shopping routes and major street markets, this would allow vehicles to stop and park outside small businesses on a busy road without causing congestion.
This 'pay as you go' system while eliminating illegal parking and congestion, will put money into the Council coffers and help to revive small businesses by encouraging drivers to stop and shop locally without worry, it is a winner for everyone.
'STOP AND SHOP'is a great idea to re-generate a faltering local economy and help small businesses out of recession. let's do it.
