Local businesses and residents have issued an urgent warning that new parking restrictions introduced by the Labour and Liberal Democrat-led Council in Hertsmere will devastate the local economy and push family-run shops to the brink of collapse.
During a visit to a local business on Bushey High Street, Sir Oliver Dowden MP met with Bushey Dry Cleaners owners Dilip and Bharti, who say their livelihoods are being sacrificed as part of a wider "war on the motorist."
The community is highlighting a "double whammy" of policy changes: the introduction of a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) in Bushey and the removal of the one-hour free parking stay at Kemp Place car park just stones throw away from the High Street.
A "Double Whammy" for Local Trade Small business owners warn that these combined measures will decimate footfall by making quick "pop-in" visits impossible for customers.
They argue that the council is ignoring a simple, workable compromise: a balanced model that allows one hour of free parking followed by resident-controlled access to prevent long-term commuters from "dumping" vehicles.
Sir Oliver said: “There is a serious problem with the council’s proposal for a CPZ. What it will mean, in practice, is the destruction of local businesses. People won’t be able to park, and they won’t come to shops like these. It’s yet another example of Labour and the Liberal Democrats waging a war on motorists, a war on parking, and a war on small businesses.
Sir Oliver added: There is a simple solution: allow people to park for free for one hour, and after that you can introduce controls to stop long‑term parking. I genuinely do not understand why they are refusing to listen to residents. Ultimately, it seems they want to stop people using their cars altogether - and that will force businesses like this to close, leaving owners at risk of losing their homes.
It is a disgrace, and I will fight against it alongside our local councillors.”
To hear more about Sir Oliver’s thoughts on this, watch here: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/19LREwvZss/
