New public transport and town centre accessibility study released

Citation

(1998), "New public transport and town centre accessibility study released", Property Management, Vol. 16 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/pm.1998.11316bab.014

New public transport and town centre accessibility study released

New public transport and town centre accessibility study released

The British Council of Shopping Centres (BCSC) released a specially commissioned independent study, "Public Transport and Town Centre Accessibility" in November 1997. The report's findings were debated at a panel session at its annual conference at Birmingham International Conference Centre which was addressed by Nick Raynsford MP, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State (Minister for London and Construction), Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

The panel session, entitled "Social Profit," examined integrated approaches to town centre investment, development and transport. It was chaired by Paul Kinsella, a specialist in commercial property development, finance and management at City law firm Lawrence Graham and Chairman of the BCSC Government Affairs Committee.

The main findings were presented by David Tucker, senior partner of transport and planning consultants Tucker Parry Knowles Partnership. Other panellists were Helena Packshaw of retail consultants Helena Packshaw Associates and Martin Garratt, head of town centre management for Boots the Chemists.

In summarising the findings of the report, Kinsella said: "Change must be managed. While the BCSC supports government moves to encourage more use of public transport, it is vital that this is achieved by way of carefully planned transition, because existing public transport facilities are inadequate to take the place of cars. We can't just suddenly cut off cars or the town centres will die."

Kinsella stressed the importance of co-ordinated local, regional and national planning policy. "Towns which fail to develop a comprehensive town centre strategy and, equally importantly, take neighbouring towns into account will be disadvantaged as a result, perhaps permanently. Businesses will either close or move to the nearest town with more favourable conditions. No matter how much loyalty you have to your favourite shops, if another location is more convenient to shop in you will end up going there. Towns would not recover from the economic damage caused by a sudden loss of access. Once businesses have left a town it's very difficult to get them to return."

Keith Redshaw, President of BCSC and a Director of Land Securities PLC, commented on the issue: "We need to take a holistic view of urban planning, taking full account of transport needs, and consider how all a town's attractions and amenities will work together. With some planning, and, more importantly, co- ordination, British town centres can be pleasant and thriving places to shop and work in. National and local government must not only make hard decisions, but also wise decisions."

BCSC is the representative body for the Shopping Centre Industry throughout the UK, its members including centre owners, retailers, local authorities and consultants specialising in each aspect of the industry.

Lawrence Graham is one of the longest established legal firms in the UK. The firm is particularly strong in the corporate and commercial, property, litigation, shipping and private clients sectors.

For further information please contact: Paul Kinsella at Lawrence Graham. Tel: 0171 379 0000; Michael Taplin at BCSC. Tel: 0171 222 1122. Copies of the report can be obtained from: BCSC, 1 Queen Anne's Gate, London SW1H 9BT. Tel: 0171 222 1122.