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PARK(ing) Day: Plant an Idea – Imagine if we had more green space in our City.

news release

On Friday 20th September, in Manchester City Centre, Manchester Friends of the Earth is inviting people to join with citizens in cities around the world who will be transforming metered parking spaces into public parks and other social spaces, as part of international “PARK(ing) Day” [1]

Once again, Manchester Friends of the Earth members will be redesigning car parking spaces in Manchester city centre into picnic parks complete with “grass”, plants, deckchairs, tea, cupcakes and sparkling conversation.

The aim is to encourage people to imagine how much better our cities could be if they had fewer spaces for cars and more room for people. The Manchester group will be in good company: the 2011 PARK(ing) Day included over 975 installations in more than 162 cities on six continents.

This year we’re going to be making connections with Manchester Friends of the Earth’s recent campaigning to highlight the importance of biodiversity in cities. We plan to be in the Northern Quarter, near the famous bee hotel. We will be offering hot drinks and lovely cupcakes.

Eric Pickles, the Communities and Local Government Secretary has got it wrong, it is not car parking regulations that have caused the decline of the High Street.[2]. Over the last fifty years our cities have been developed to make more and more space for the car. Supermarkets and malls, with massive car parks, have often overpowered local businesses in city locations. At the same time our streets have become noisy, polluted and unpleasant.[3] These policies have high costs in terms of air pollution, congestion and health.[4]

 

Norman Baker, the transport minister, said yesterday that for too long cars have been given “free rein” in town centres in a “failed policy of the 1970s”. [5] PARK(ing) Day highlights the need to make our streets more attractive for residents and visitors, and improve the environment for businesses.

Graeme Sherriff, Manchester Friends of the Earth Transport Campaign co-ordinator said:

Join us on PARK(ing) Day and take part in the discussion about how public space is created and allocated. How can we make the city space more sociable, fun and colourful. Help us improve the quality of urban human habitat … at least until the meter runs out!”

ENDS

CONTACTS FOR COMMENTS

Pete Abel, Manchester Friends of the Earth. Mobile: 07951 642858

Photo opportunity: Friday 20th September. 9.30am, Thomas Street, Northern Quarter. Phone Pete Abel on 07951 642858 for exact PARK(ing) Day location.

Notes to Editors:

[1] See http://parkingday.org/ for more details.

[2] Telegraph 26th August, Eric Pickles attacks councils putting motorists off high streets.

Eric Pickles has hit out at councils over the “anti-car dogma” that he warns is contributing to the death of Britain’s traditional high streets.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10265564/Eric-Pickles-attacks-councils-putting-motorists-off-high-streets.html

[3] Sustrans, 2008. Traffic restraint and retail vitality. www.sustrans.com/webfiles/liveable%20neighbourhoods/Traffic%20restraint%20and%20retail%20vitality.pdf

[4] Sustainable Development Commission, 2011. Fairness in a Car-dependent society, “SDC estimate that the total cost of our level of car dependency significantly exceeds the £48 billion per annum in taxes and charges on UK road users.”

www.sd-commission.org.uk/data/files/publications/fairness_car_dependant.pdf

[5] Telegraph 17 September 2013, Ban cars from town centres to save our shops, says transport minister. Cars should be banned from high streets to help shops and encourage more people to walk, cycle and use public transport, a minister has suggested.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/liberaldemocrats/10313746/Ban-cars-from-town-centres-to-save-our-shops-says-transport-minister.html

[6] Manchester Friends of the Earth is an award-winning environmental campaign group, raising awareness and lobbying for policy changes at a local, regional, national and international level. The group consists entirely of volunteers, and its campaigns are funded by membership fees and individual donations. Up-to-date information is available on the group’s website: www.manchesterfoe.org.uk. Manchester Friends of the Earth is a Licensed Local Group of Friends of the Earth, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

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