If your 'temporary' proposals on bus gates go ahead. I will no longer be able to bring my car in to work to park in my private space behind the shop. So what, you may say, use the park and ride service.
If I do that, the following will happen, not might, but will follow as sure as night follows day.
It will take me an hour and a half door to door to get into my business, as opposed to thirty five minutes as now. So that puts another hour and 50 minutes on to my already long nine and a half hour day.
I will lose yet more footfall on top of an already 70% drop due to Covid: customers who currently visit my shop and park in Merton Street or Longwall simply won’t bother. I wouldn’t. Now is not the time to stop would-be visitors who are fearful of or advised against taking public transport and without means to pay for a taxi from coming into the city centre. You are punishing lower-income visitors, vulnerable visitors and fearful visitors. Cambridge are introducing £1/hour council parking to encourage visitors. Why are you not doing this?
Without paying for a taxi - something I fail to understand why I should be obliged to do, and at any rate cannot afford to do at this time…
I will no longer be able to bring in the necessary kit and equipment needed to clean and sterilise my shop premises.
I will no longer be able to visit my accountant, my solicitor, or local Oxford suppliers during the day.
I will no longer be able to offer free delivery for orders placed with us by people in Oxford and surrounding areas, including NHS staff, who also benefit with a discount on our goods. Currently we hand-deliver these packages on our way home.
Our charitable giving to Kindness Wave - distributing free or heavily discounted games and puzzles to Oxford's disadvantaged children - will cease, as the packages will be too heavy to take on foot and no one will be able to collect them.
I will no longer be able to bring in tools and equipment to maintain the fabric of my shop in accordance with the terms of my lease.
I will no longer be able to attend charity based fairs and tournaments in the City centre, which raise so much money for various charities.
We know that the current number of shop front businesses on the High Street and connected side streets, including colleges and hotels, stands at around 130, which is almost 15% down on the position, five years ago. If it wasn't for the proliferation of dubious souvenir shops, it would be under 115. My guess is that these bus gate proposals would result in another twenty at least ceasing trading, where small business men take advantage of 'hand back' clauses in their leases or simply walk away.
Scenario: Council meeting. Oxford 2023.
"So Mr Mitchell, our rates revenue from High Street commercial properties is down by £10,000,000. Footfall along the High Street is down 30%. We haven't got the men in Parks Dept to keep a check on the weeds growing along the pavements. The 'lease for sale' boards on empty premises are an eyesore. There are no independent shops left to tempt tourists back into the centre, apart from the souvenir shops, currently under investigation by The Times for money laundering, and they haven't paid any rates for ten years anyway." What do you suggest we say to the councillors of this fair city?"
" Well, the air is cleaner, though I feel I must warn you that we are thinking of banning buses and taxis because of the micro pollutants they put out from their brakes and tyres."
"Excellent, next item on the agenda?"
"Performance bonuses for senior council executives"
Think long and hard.