Comment
Town Centre Masterplans
Representation ID: 882
Received: 19/02/2008
Respondent: Mr S Robinson
With reference to the article in the standard news paper refering to the plans to change Rochford square into a fully pedestrian and asking local tax payers what their views on the subject might be I would like to give the opinion of my family which would cover three generations from the ages of 12 to 65 years old so i thought it would give you a good all round view.
From the point of view of my two sons a pedestrian area would be good as far as safety goes they could be dropped off to shop without the worry of cars being parked. Although they do say that they can do this anyway as they can visit all the shops without having to cross any roads so they could then not see any advantage to the plans at all. They did think that it would encourage ore youths to the area but they think that from the youths they have seen hanging around the area recently that would probably not be a good thing.
As there father I personally would not my children hanging around in the square and I see the main problem in the square that stops trade is the problem with the youths/thugs that hang around smoking and drinking and being rude to passers by. If anything would help the traders in the area it woudl be to put something in place that would deter these youths from using the area as a meeting place. Personally they do not intimidate me but my wife will not shop there after dark an neither will my parents. A fully pedestrian area would turn into a football pitch or bike park in a very short time and encourage more youths who have no money to spend there anyway. The youths that do hang around there go there to shop lift and cause trouble I have known of at least two occassions when the shops have had to close early just to keep them out and stop them causing grief. I have also seen that once out they use the area as a public toilet. As far as the daytime goes if I could not park there to just pop into the shops quickly and ended up with the choice of paying in the car park close by I would probably just go somewhere else like Ashingdon Road, Golden Cross.
When asking my parents their views they do not see any point to your proposal at all they have lived in Rochford for many years and my mum has slight trouble walking and hates the idea that she will have to wlak further to the shops that she has used for many years with no problems during the day. Both my parents would not go to the square after dark due to the youth problem.
Overall I believe that making fully paved would mean less people woudl visit to go shopping as they like to park close to shops, pop in quick for what they need and go. I thinkg alot of the trade these shops get is from people using the parking area that is provided. I also think that the main problem in the area especially in the evening and after dark is with youths who bring very little or nothing to the area in way of profit for the shops and if the area was fully paved it would encourage more problems.
I hope the views of my tax paying family help in your future plans, after all I am sure that it will be the tax payers money that funds the changes if they continue to use the square or not.
With reference to the article in the standard news paper refering to the plans to change Rochford square into a fully pedestrian and asking local tax payers what their views on the subject might be I would like to give the opinion of my family which would cover three generations from the ages of 12 to 65 years old so i thought it would give you a good all round view.
From the point of view of my two sons a pedestrian area would be good as far as safety goes they could be dropped off to shop without the worry of cars being parked. Although they do say that they can do this anyway as they can visit all the shops without having to cross any roads so they could then not see any advantage to the plans at all. They did think that it would encourage ore youths to the area but they think that from the youths they have seen hanging around the area recently that would probably not be a good thing.
As there father I personally would not my children hanging around in the square and I see the main problem in the square that stops trade is the problem with the youths/thugs that hang around smoking and drinking and being rude to passers by. If anything would help the traders in the area it woudl be to put something in place that would deter these youths from using the area as a meeting place. Personally they do not intimidate me but my wife will not shop there after dark an neither will my parents. A fully pedestrian area would turn into a football pitch or bike park in a very short time and encourage more youths who have no money to spend there anyway. The youths that do hang around there go there to shop lift and cause trouble I have known of at least two occassions when the shops have had to close early just to keep them out and stop them causing grief. I have also seen that once out they use the area as a public toilet. As far as the daytime goes if I could not park there to just pop into the shops quickly and ended up with the choice of paying in the car park close by I would probably just go somewhere else like Ashingdon Road, Golden Cross.
When asking my parents their views they do not see any point to your proposal at all they have lived in Rochford for many years and my mum has slight trouble walking and hates the idea that she will have to wlak further to the shops that she has used for many years with no problems during the day. Both my parents would not go to the square after dark due to the youth problem.
Overall I believe that making fully paved would mean less people woudl visit to go shopping as they like to park close to shops, pop in quick for what they need and go. I thinkg alot of the trade these shops get is from people using the parking area that is provided. I also think that the main problem in the area especially in the evening and after dark is with youths who bring very little or nothing to the area in way of profit for the shops and if the area was fully paved it would encourage more problems.
I hope the views of my tax paying family help in your future plans, after all I am sure that it will be the tax payers money that funds the changes if they continue to use the square or not.