Sep 5, 2017
should paid parking in RBS be cancelled?
Paid parking in central shopping areas throughout Bet Shemesh is about a year old. Shortly after implementation the parking areas were so empty there was concern that businesses would have been negatively impacted as people head to the malls with free parking to do their shopping instead.
A year later, I would say that the stores look pretty busy, mostly normal, on a regular basis, especially later in the week as Shabbos approaches. There is just about always available parking, as people park a bit further away for free, the rental companies are not using the spots and other reasons.
The "Salvation Committee of Merchants" has put out a notice on behalf of business owners in RBS A and RBS B about how the paid park is destroying the local businesses and should be canceled. They call it a "fine". They also only refer to businesses in these Haredi neighborhoods and do not coordinate and cooperate with businesses around the rest of the city.
So, perhaps my impression of the businesses largely doing ok is wrong. Maybe only a few are struggling, and maybe some are struggling for reasons not related to the parking. As well, many people will prefer indoor air conditioned malls anyway, regardless of the parking, over an outdoor shopping center where one must maneuver in the heat or rain between shops.
Either way, I hope they find a solution, as nobody wants the local businesses to be hurt. I do think trying to get paid parking canceled is basically futile and they should put their efforts elsewhere.
A year later, I would say that the stores look pretty busy, mostly normal, on a regular basis, especially later in the week as Shabbos approaches. There is just about always available parking, as people park a bit further away for free, the rental companies are not using the spots and other reasons.
The "Salvation Committee of Merchants" has put out a notice on behalf of business owners in RBS A and RBS B about how the paid park is destroying the local businesses and should be canceled. They call it a "fine". They also only refer to businesses in these Haredi neighborhoods and do not coordinate and cooperate with businesses around the rest of the city.
So, perhaps my impression of the businesses largely doing ok is wrong. Maybe only a few are struggling, and maybe some are struggling for reasons not related to the parking. As well, many people will prefer indoor air conditioned malls anyway, regardless of the parking, over an outdoor shopping center where one must maneuver in the heat or rain between shops.
Either way, I hope they find a solution, as nobody wants the local businesses to be hurt. I do think trying to get paid parking canceled is basically futile and they should put their efforts elsewhere.
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we had this discussion when instituted and I think I wrote an article for you about what a bad idea paid parking is to central city shops....BTW the City can probably generate more cash from another source, ticketing the careless, selfish, narcissists parking their on pedestrian ways at Park Center.
ReplyDeleteWhere are there 'pedestrian ways' at Park center?
ReplyDeleteI've spoken to a handful of business owners and none have complained. From a consumer standpoint this is far better than it used to be and well worth the 100 sheks or so I spend a month parking. I suspect that I actually go to the stores more now not less.
ReplyDeleteThis is probably disgruntled apartment owners who can no longer take up all the street parking because they either closed in their parking spaces or it's just plain more convenient for them.
Paid parking is a reality world wide. Keep it going!
I haven't noticed smaller crowds in any of the shopping areas I frequent. I, too, think that if shops are having trouble, it's not because of the parking. Or maybe, shops are having trouble because people only visited them because there was parking nearby, and now that it's easier to park at the main shopping areas, fewer people have to travel farther from home?
ReplyDelete