Vision needed on parking charges
In view of the fact that the tests of 'financial viability' and 'value for money' are to be applied to the non-income generating Sunderland Air Show, can I suggest that the same approach should be taken to far more relevant matters such as the failing city car parking charges policy (charges having been increased again beyond inflation).
Contrasted to other cities and towns comparable to Sunderland, the parking charges policy makes a persistent loss and is a key factor in the strangulation of the crisis-stricken economy of the city centre.
It would be sensible to look at the far more imaginative policies of other North East towns.
Indeed, there is much to be said for scrapping charges entirely if financial viability is, indeed, the main test of policies.
Of course that would require a sense of vision wouldn’t it.
Stuart Miller