No more news on parking permit proposal

At the Supporters Forum on February 6th, David Boston confirmed that Birmingham City FC had received no update from the Council on the proposal to impose parking restrictions in the streets around St Andrew’s on match days.  Questionnaires were sent to residents who would be affected by the scheme, which they were required to return by November 16^th last year. The Club had submitted a response, opposing the scheme.

It clearly would pose problems for the Club if parking restrictions were imposed in the streets around St Andrew’s without the provision of alternative places for fans to park or ways for them to get to the ground. Some fans would park further away and be inconvenienced.  Others would have difficulty in walking longer distances and would stop going to games.

The city of Birmingham cannot thrive if its businesses do not. A recent article on the Club website points out that the club is a big employer and works with “local job centres, schools, colleges, universities, The Princes Trust and local community groups.” The Council should work with the Club to find solutions to any problems caused by match day parking.  Alternatives such as Park-and-Ride schemes and increased public transport need to be discussed, agreed on and put in place before any parking restrictions are imposed.

Fans can express their concerns to their local ward Councillors or to Anne Shaw, Acting Assistant Director Transportation and Connectivity, Birmingham City Council, PO Box 16719, Birmingham B2 2GA or via email to transport.projects@birmingham.gov.uk.

Note: Blues Trust has been notified that there will be a delay in the publication of the official minutes of the Supporters Forum meeting on February 6th and we probably won’t get them until next week. We will publish them when we receive them.