Save Our Shops (SOS) (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Mike, St Albans says...
12:58pm Thu 1 Mar 07

Unless I'm mistaken, the city is open for business, the market is still running and even car parks are still accessible. We have a bus service, the weather is improving and most ST Albans residents have use of their legs.

A few more positive stories reinforcing the fact that it it still possible to get into the city without using a car would be a good start.

How about a car vs bike vs bus vs walking 'shopping challenge' one Saturday? Travel in from the outskirts of the city, buy a pound of banannas from the market, travel back?

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Julie Crumpton, St Albans says...
2:13pm Thu 1 Mar 07

I live and run my business in St Albans. I trade on St Albans market and have done for the last 3 years. From a business point of view the town centre has been suffering for a long time, since they started the 1st phase of road works back in 2005 shops have closed down, traders on the market have left and small independent traders who add character to the town have had to leave, yet the rents have gone up the parking fees have risen St Albans town centre is slowly disappearing, after each phase of road works the council should have advertised the town was open for business to get shoppers back. I haven't heard one postive comment from any of my customers about the road works in the town centre. The council need to start listening to the people of St Albans. If the council can over spend by a ridiculous amount on the improvements they have done so far then they can spend some more on bringing shoppers back advertising, fun days in the town centre but most of all speak to the shop owners and market traders listen to what they have to say bring the town centre back to life. If the new tesco site goes ahead it will strangle independent traders especially as tesco's nowadays don't just sell food you can buy clothes, stationery, electrical products, flowers and the list goes on the shoppers won't need to go into town if they can buy everything under one roof not to mention the roads will not be able to handle the volume of traffic it would create. It will just be another blow to St Albans

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Don, St. Albans says...
2:27pm Thu 1 Mar 07

I cannot suppose that trade within central St. Albans will improve until Hertfordshire Highways complete their current programme of "improvements" which seem more akin to a campaign to blockade the city. That, coupled with building developments (actual and prospective) is enough to persuade motorists to seek the shops elsewhere.

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Paul, St Albans says...
7:28pm Thu 1 Mar 07

What a great idea, good luck to the shopkeepers. I hope the campaign improves the city centre and see footfall increase, but I'm not sure if the damage has already been done by the council and its barmy plans. The council should realise it's dealing with people's livelihoods - good luck!

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Bobbio,, Chiswell Green says...
1:53pm Fri 2 Mar 07

Ther is no longer any short term free parking in the centre. New price rises make it 40 p for half an hour. I miss the old free parking spaces in the St Peters Street service road where I could park free for an hour for a quick visit to the shops. Would the council be brave enough to reverse the decision which removed these parking places?

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Stephen, St Albans says...
2:05pm Fri 2 Mar 07

The current road works aren't the real problem. They're just part of a whole package of Herts Highways measures such as restrictive traffic light programmes and traffic lights for pedestrian crossings by roundabouts which, together, frequently gridlock the city. It's become much too much hassle to go from side of town to the other, and it's much easier to shop elsewhere, or even better online. Nothing will change until we have District and County Councillors who are prepared to say that enough is enough, and will vote to sack the dreadful and unaccountable Herts Highways.

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Louise, Chequer Street says...
3:52pm Fri 2 Mar 07

the city centre is often gridlocked and you would not come here unless you had to. Most of my friends avaid it like the plague. The parking is slow and laborious, the roadworks have worn people down because they have been so disruptive and have been going on for so long. No one attempts to use the pavements on Chequer Street because the allowed amount of pavement is so narrow, it only takes one pushchair to block up the street!
Make St Albans user friendly again!!

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Katie, St. Albans says...
1:48pm Sat 3 Mar 07

I am a student in a school in central St. Albans and regularly go to the town centre for shopping and socialising. I think it is a shame that many shops are losing busisness due to the roadworks or unpopularity. I think having shops such as 'Primark' in St. Albans would benefit the city. Many of my friends and I have to take the train to Watford to go to Primark - if there was one in St.Albans there would be no need to make the journey and I'm sure we would come to the city centre more often at weekends. I also think a cinema would attract more young people to St. Albans.

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Neil, London Colney says...
2:07pm Sun 4 Mar 07

In a nutshell, the two main reasons I no longer shop in St Albans are:-
The traffic, which is made far worse by Herts Highways uneccessary 'improvements'.
The parking.
I would like to support the local traders, however it would seem that the Council do everything in their power to discourage people from shopping in St Albans, if they have to drive.

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J Copley, says...
5:17pm Sun 4 Mar 07

Bobbio, wrote:
Ther is no longer any short term free parking in the centre. New price rises make it 40 p for half an hour. I miss the old free parking spaces in the St Peters Street service road where I could park free for an hour for a quick visit to the shops. Would the council be brave enough to reverse the decision which removed these parking places?

I agree that to bring back free one hour parking would be really helpful - it is not just the cost but the hassle and inconvenience of buying a ticket that puts me off stopping in St Albans city centre on the way home or popping in for something.

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Graham Ward, Fleetville says...
1:58pm Mon 5 Mar 07

With the recent expansion of Colney Fields meaning that London Colney now has Next, Accessorise, Boots and Borders to add to the existing Sainsburys and M&S, all with free parking, I am not at all surprised that shoppers are deserting the city centre. The city centre is congested, parking is not only expensive, but a number of carparks are either very dark (Bricket Road) or designed to make it very difficult to park a vehicle (both the Maltings and Christopher Place). With fewer specialist shops, there is little to attract a shopper to St Albans that they cannot find better in London Colney or Watford. A Tesco superstore would simply add to congestion, and take further trade away from the Hight Street.

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tony and barbara billings, camp road st albans says...
10:02am Tue 6 Mar 07

It seems fairly obvious that St Albans, having come under prolonged and sustained roadworks in its city centre for two years, Herts Highways must take a very large proportion of the blame.
The latest signs "shops open and business as usual" comes far too late to save many traditional and family-owned businesses. As a result St Albans will have an added-on "Anytown" image and the (probable) inevitability of Tesco coming here will provide the final nail in our coffin.

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Roma, St Albans says...
12:27pm Wed 7 Mar 07

St Albans has a popular market and interesting specialist shops; we also have an excellent range of restaurants and the historic city centre to attract visitors and shoppers. Initiatives like the French and Italian markets have been enjoyed by local people - but not well advertised. However, we have not been able to attract a major department store to the city which is a real issue. Similarly the on-going road works in the city centre, traffic congestion and parking charges are real disincentives which put people off coming. Add to this the potholes which make travelling around St Albans a bit hazardous and things don't look so good. This has been pretty clear for some time.

I suggested setting up a retailer of the year project - to raise the profile of the shops in the city centre and to raise morale. We also need to get a better deal out of Herts Highways for our City and District and have another look at the thorny issue of parking.

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T Gee, Harpenden says...
11:03am Thu 8 Mar 07

My wife & I have stopped shopping in St. Albans because it is too difficult to park. We used to visit regularly but have now given up altogether.

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M. North, says...
2:04pm Thu 8 Mar 07

I have lived in St. Albans almost all my life and have seen the shopping centre deteroriate dramatically. We use to have many small shops as well as a department store and sainsburys in the centre. The bus service has fallen and taxis seem to be given priority. The final straw I believe has been the so called enhancements which have done nothing to improve St. Peters St and all to drive people away. Not everybody lives close enough to walk in - there should be more parking or at least free parking at weekends

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L Ross, Park Street, St Albans says...
2:18pm Thu 8 Mar 07

I gave up going in to town regually to shop or for an evening out when the parking costs went up and you could not park anywhere in the streets for fear of a Parking attendent jumping out and ticketing your car as soon as you had left it. Back in Feb, we had tickets to see St Albans Gang Show on the Saturday afternoon. My husband dropped us off and went to park the car. There was no parking in any of the car parks and after driving around St Albans for 20 plus mins he gave up and went home and missed the show. St Albans needs more parking and for it to be cheap. Who is going to shop and eat in St Albans, when there are easier places to get to.....

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Mr P Barnett, Watford says...
8:57am Fri 9 Mar 07

I am surprised you have to ask why central St Albans is dying. Three letters will give you a clue - NCP. My wife and I used to shop regularly in St. Albans, but since the parking contract was handed to this outfit, I don't go there any more. Councils have to understand that the economy is now based on having to drive to where the business is, and handing their parking contract to the most rapacious and ruthless operator in the business begets the council the same reputation. Oh, and I suspect, by the way, that the service road in St Peters Street wasn't removed for the benefit of pedestrians, but for the benefit of NCP. Go figure......

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Mike Bibby, St Albans says...
7:20pm Sun 11 Mar 07

Cllr Donald has admitted that he is in favour of anything that reduces 'private motoring' in St Albans - councillor's cars are of course special models that produce no CO2.

This may explain our council's supine acquiescence to all the money wasting damage Herts Highways have done to the city centre - as well as their support for the Highways plans to ban private cars from the city centre, and make Victoria Street one-way.

For thirty years I have done my shopping in St Albans, now I am made to feel so unwelcome that I go there only to visit my doctor - spending money is done elsewhere.

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Paul S, St Stephens says...
12:50am Thu 15 Mar 07

I feel sorry for the traders in the town but sadly have little faith that the district and county council, who are responsible for this situation will have the integrity to hold their hands up and undo the mess created.

My wife and I used to shop in the town centre most weekends. We no longer do so as it is quicker, easier and more pleasant to shop in London Colney/Watford.

The main reasons are the levels of frustration created by :
1 The time it takes to get to town via Hollywell Hill
2 the difficulty and cost of parking and
3 The poor state of repair the town centre seems always to be in.

I complained to the council about the "safety enhancements" when they started a few years ago. Since then I have seen nothing but traffic congestion in particular the jnct. of Hollywell Hill and London Road. With the closure of St Peters this has now moved the delay to King Harry Lane and Watford Road making it not only harder to get to town but also to get around town.

My only suggestion other than sacking Herts Highways officer s and employing some infant school pupils who could do a better job is for the council to undo the restrictions at the lights on Hollywell Hill and try and get the pedestrian crossings to work in synch with the traffic lights at this jnct. This would have a positive domino effect on a lot of the traffic problems on this side of town.

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mariella stewart, st albans gurney court rd al1 4qy says...
5:25pm Thu 15 Mar 07

carpark prices are outrageous compare them with hemel or watford pls. roadworks are ongoing and diversions are awful it is easier to travel to stevenage or hemel or brent cross and you pay a lot less in parking.why is one carpark reserved for coucilstaff who park there free? and another large carpark for police and courtstaff again free for them.other local workers need to pay £7.per day.either treat all workers the same and charge all of us a little less pls and free up some spaces because our town is dying. thank you

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Kate Winn-Rogers, Bricket Wood says...
7:01pm Thu 15 Mar 07

St Albans is my favourite place to shop. The reasons that have kept me from the town lately are:L never-ending road works! Either Hollywell Hill, or the High Street are constantly torn up. One cannot get into the City any more without being held up for at least half an hour. To add insult to injury, there is no need for the 'improvements' to the City Centre area. It is only the meddling of the City Counsellors that has caused this chaos. Then there is the ridiculous idea to cut off the parking areas in front of the shops in the City Centre. Why? One used to be able to park somewhere near where the shops were - but no, yet again, the Counsellors are interferring with keeping the City viable and healthy, buy eliminating all the convenient parking. Then, there are the problems caused by the 'parking coupons' fiasco - do I need to say more about that? If you parked your car and went in search of the valued 'coupon', you had a ticket from the ever-present gestapo tax-collecting parking police!!! No wonder no one comes to St Albans to shop - it is impossible to get there, or park there, once you arrive! I prefer little owner-shops to the big Tescos and hypermarkets. Unfortunately, our local Counsellors are killing St Albans and all the surrounding towns with their relentless regulation and parking chaos! Finally, the City really needs to market itself! When I bring my house guests from around the world to St Albans, they are astounded by the history, the buildings and the wonderful little shops and pubs. But does St Albans even get a mention in the visitor's guides? Someone needs to take on board the opportunity to market the City to get visitors to come and see what a fabulous place it is. I mean, think about it - what does Bath have that St Albans doesn't have? Our cathedral is much more grand and historical, as well as the size and nature of the Veralumum - so come on Observer - do your part to get the City of st Albans into the visitor's guides of the UK!!

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Jonathan Rodwell, George St - St Albans says...
1:42pm Fri 16 Mar 07

Some simple solutions would prevent the decline:

1. Restaurants/Pubs - Granting no further planning pernissions for such use on the basis of saturation. Reason: to protect existing retail. Example: In George street the antique shop and upper parts of the arcade have applied to be converted into restaurant. Reducing the retail makes the existing retail less viavble due to loss of foot fall.
2. Parking: Like most cities a cheap (or free) park and ride system should be implemented to free up the roads and encourage visitors.
3. Tesco/Cinema - These large schemes should be located at a certain distance from the centre. They will simply add to congestion.
4. Protection of small and specialist retailers - EG: In HightSt/French Row an application has been submitted to amalgamate "Bravingtons" and the shop next door.
Effect: Increased returns for freeholder by letting to a high street multiple and reduction in charactor and attractivness of our retail stock.

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Allan, St Albans says...
8:40am Sat 17 Mar 07

I think it's a combination of problems- local councillors often vote against Herts Highways- but the Tory controlled County Council leave us at their mercy. Meanwhile St Albans Council has to out source Parking because according to the Labour Government Big Business knows best and can do it cheaper (yet make a profit with our tax money!).
Add to this the fact that the local councils can't do anything to influence bus routes like they can in London, and the need to preserve as much of the character of our city as we can without changing every plot into car-parking, and it is an uphill struggle.
Still now the Labour Gov inspector has overturned the local councillors decisions we will be getting a massive residential build near the centre of town with no parking spaces- so those people will have to shop locally....
Me- I love the Farmers Market etc but we have so many shops that people visiting might not know about The Maltings if they are around St Christophers Place etc.
So how about a joint map covering ALL stores etc in St Albans? Sell it more like a friendly MK- we have so many if people know about them...

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Mike Bibby, St Albans says...
2:08pm Sat 17 Mar 07

Mariella Stewart asked: "why is one carpark reserved for coucil staff who park there free? "

The answer is simple - it ISNT a council car park. Up to 20 years ago it was used by the taxpayers who owned it, then it was "borrowed" by the council while the civic centre was rebuilt. Not altogether surprisingly they found this quite convenient and "accidentally forgot" to return it to the taxpayers who own it!

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Vanessa, St Albans says...
10:06am Mon 19 Mar 07

The Observer kindly printed my letter a couple of weeks ago in which I expressed my feelings on this subject. I would like to share some of my views with the on-line readers too. I am becoming more and more alarmed as each week we are learning of more shops closing in the city centre. The much loved Paton Book shop is the latest to announce its closure and what a loss that will be.

My mother and uncle worked for a wide variety of thriving retailers in St Peters Street spanning from the 1940s to the 1980s. I also started my working life in St Albans Travel Service in the town centre.

I recently stood at the top of St Peters Street almost alone and wondered whether I had been transported to an area of high deprivation. The street looked so depressing, dirty and uncared for and not a place I wanted to linger in, neither would I suspect a visitor.

Thanks once again to the closure of St Peters Street and this time Chequer Street too; it is taking me half an hour to get from my home in Chiswell Green to the Russell Avenue car park and the same for the return journey. If I tried to catch a bus, which is not always convenient if buying bulky goods, it would probably turn the trip into a full days expedition. The car parks are where I begin the feel the district council is not playing its part either. The renovations of these car parks do not warrant the large increases in car parking fees and I hear that they are going up yet again! Who said the car parks were fun needs their head examined. Are there any welcoming signs to St Albans in these city centre car parks, any maps to show where you are and how to get to the places you might want to visit, no! As a resident I know I have to go down BHS alley or Waddington Yard to get into St Peters Street, neither look well cared for especially the BHS alley.

Once in St Peters Street it does not take anyone long to work out what the problem is there. The Herts Highways partnership has ripped the guts out of our city centre with the enhancement scheme which they thought up as they went along. In English Heritages publication on Retail Development in Historic Areas they give some excellent advice and of course states the obvious to many; There is an increasing focus on the benefits of maintaining and enhancing local distinctiveness of historic areas to give them the competitive edge.The historic nature of some centres acts as part of their retail brand. It seems the opposite is happening in St Albans, we are allowing our brand image to be systematically destroyed. Essentially we are failing to maintain and truly enhance our local distinctiveness.

The cost of these highway works to trade and the reputation of this city has been incalculable and the perpetrators of this disaster are still being allowed to carry on.

If Tesco are allowed to build a massive store just over half a mile away from the city centre, St Albans city centre as we used to know and love will be dead.

The Observer kindly printed my letter a couple of weeks ago in which I expressed my feelings on this subject. I would like to share some of my views with the on-line readers too. I am becoming more and more alarmed as each week we are learning of more shops closing in the city centre. The much loved Paton Book shop is the latest to announce its closure and what a loss that will be. My mother and uncle worked for a wide variety of thriving retailers in St Peters Street spanning from the 1940s to the 1980s. I also started my working life in St Albans Travel Service in the town centre. I recently stood at the top of St Peters Street almost alone and wondered whether I had been transported to an area of high deprivation. The street looked so depressing, dirty and uncared for and not a place I wanted to linger in, neither would I suspect a visitor. Thanks once again to the closure of St Peters Street and this time Chequer Street too; it is taking me half an hour to get from my home in Chiswell Green to the Russell Avenue car park and the same for the return journey. If I tried to catch a bus, which is not always convenient if buying bulky goods, it would probably turn the trip into a full days expedition. The car parks are where I begin the feel the district council is not playing its part either. The renovations of these car parks do not warrant the large increases in car parking fees and I hear that they are going up yet again! Who said the car parks were fun needs their head examined. Are there any welcoming signs to St Albans in these city centre car parks, any maps to show where you are and how to get to the places you might want to visit, no! As a resident I know I have to go down BHS alley or Waddington Yard to get into St Peters Street, neither look well cared for especially the BHS alley. Once in St Peters Street it does not take anyone long to work out what the problem is there. The Herts Highways partnership has ripped the guts out of our city centre with the enhancement scheme which they thought up as they went along. In English Heritages publication on Retail Development in Historic Areas they give some excellent advice and of course states the obvious to many; There is an increasing focus on the benefits of maintaining and enhancing local distinctiveness of historic areas to give them the competitive edge.The historic nature of some centres acts as part of their retail brand. It seems the opposite is happening in St Albans, we are allowing our brand image to be systematically destroyed. Essentially we are failing to maintain and truly enhance our local distinctiveness. The cost of these highway works to trade and the reputation of this city has been incalculable and the perpetrators of this disaster are still being allowed to carry on. If Tesco are allowed to build a massive store just over half a mile away from the city centre, St Albans city centre as we used to know and love will be dead.

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Ian Winning, Chiswell Green says...
12:01am Mon 26 Mar 07

I've lived in St Albans for 17 years. Enjoying the improvements of Christopher Place and new stores like Paperchase, and the market. I now sadly stay at home and shop on the internet. On Saturday my wife walked into town, did the market shopping, phoned me, and I drove in to collect her. I wonder how long it will be before we get our vegetables from Sainsbury's, and we both stay at home. The town in my view is looking more like Hemel Hempstead and Watford every day. Parking charges are out of control, which is why I don't bother to go in any more, and as for the council, well they might just as well be living on the moon. Oh! I forgot they are in their free parking spaces and spending our money like the £3.5 million over budget on St Peter's Street, I see no benefit in it for me.
And Tesco's, well folks if you think the town has problems just wait and see what's coming. Remember our wonderful council's idea of a one-way system! We just about still live in an historic Roman town, if you fill it with the likes of Tesco, 7 screen cinemas, tall structures and expensive car parks. Who in their right minds is going to want to come to St Albans?

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Jan, St. Albans says...
10:44pm Tue 27 Mar 07

I no longer shop in St. Albans because the streets are dirty (chewing gum is a particular problem), parking is expensive, and the road closures make travel difficult. Prefer the cleaner shopping malls in Watford & Welwyn G C.

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Mr. G. Campagna, says...
1:18pm Wed 28 Mar 07

I've lived in St. Albans for over 30 years and I've never seen road works take so long, plus the roads were kept in better condition than they are now. We elect these people to do a job for us, instead all I see are people taking your money and doing whatever they chose with it, including ruining our town center of which I use to be proud of, now it's only a headache.
Parking charges are crazy and they are forcing people to go elsewhere. Thank you St. Albans Council and everybody there who are doing an excellent job of destroying our town center. What next?

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Class 6F - Killigrew Junior School, st albans says...
9:47am Thu 29 Mar 07

Our class has been investigating the recent city centre developments as part of our most recent Geography topic. It has certainly given us lots to discuss!!
We are angry about the increased car park prices and believe that even more shoppers are going to go elsewhere, which means even more shops are bound to close. We feel the council need to reduce the cost of parking and think of creative ways to entice shoppers back to our city centre. It is no good having wider pavements if there is no-one to walk on them!!

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J Copley, st albans says...
6:44pm Thu 29 Mar 07

I live in St Albans but have stopped shopping in St Albans so much since the one hour free parking was stopped. I often used to stop off on the way home. However, having to find the right change and buy and display a ticket often puts me off when I am deciding whether to stop. I sometimes look to see whether I can park in the M & S car park but if there is a long queue I either go home or pop to the quadrant. I can't beleive I'm the only one to avoid the parking meters. I would have thought getting rid of them would help encourage people back. If Tesco comes the city centre and the market will suffer massssively as it will be one stop shopping with parking. Only restaurants would be unaffected.If short term free parking returned and Tesco turned down (although their city centre store would benefit from iprovement) the town centre would recover now that the roadworks seem to have been completed finally.

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barry cashin, st albans says...
6:48pm Thu 29 Mar 07

St Albans is an historic city. With the constant plundering of our traffic system since the 1981 one-way debacle through to the Chinese granite paving and road narrowing though, it stands to make modern history all of its own....by becoming a commercial dinosaur, with all decent shops closing down, the multiples moving out (Tesco take note!) and shoppers desserting the place for cleaner, more efficient towns like Watford. Soon, all we'll have left are the plethora of barber shops that seem to be sprouting faster than the hair they cut!

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Michael Spitzer, St Albans says...
3:33pm Sat 31 Mar 07

St Albans City centre - too much trouble getting there and when you do, not worth it. Endless roadworks, poor infrasctucture and expensive parking have made St Albans a place to avoid. An historic city like St Albans has great potential. Visit the city of York, fantastic shopping plus lots to do and see. It puts our city to shame.

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James, St Albans says...
11:10am Mon 2 Apr 07

Although I live in St Albans, I find it easier to shop in Borehamwood rather than St Albans town centre. There are less traffic lights going to Borehamwood, and I can get two hours free parking near the shops.

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Les Cazin China Carousel,339 Watling Street, China Carousel, Watling Street says...
11:23am Tue 3 Apr 07

May I, as a retailer and also a reasonably local resident (The Mall, Park Street), add my comments to those already expressed.

Several years ago when Forum, the China & Glass Retailer in Christopher Place closed we tried to acquire the premises but were advised that the landlords and re-developers only wanted large Brand Name retailers in their prestige redevelopment. We searched for other premises but found that any reasonably modern premises in St Albans were immediately offered to national companies if they became available and that small businesses had to take on units off the main streets which were often very small and divided into several salons with restrictions on any alterations because they were either listed buildings or in conservation areas. We almost settled on premises in Verulam Road (now a retail kitchen unit supplier) but pulled out from signing the lease when we realized that months of road works were scheduled which would make it virtually impossible to trade. We have contacts with several retailers who remain in St Albans, all of whom have suffered great loss of business through continuing road works, high parking costs, increases in rents and rates and increased competition from various retail parks.

We are so pleased that we did not establish a business in St Albans and now very rarely use the town centre for any purpose. It has become one of the most user unfriendly towns that I know of due to the total misunderstanding of local needs by its councilors and planners. Millions of pounds of ratepayers money has been wasted on un-necessary road schemes which have brought no benefits to pedestrians, motorists, shoppers or businesses but have torn the heart out of the city.

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hines, birmingham says...
10:57am Wed 18 Apr 07

i dont care

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hines, birmingham says...
10:58am Wed 18 Apr 07

May I, as a retailer and also a reasonably local resident (The Mall, Park Street), add my comments to those already expressed.

Several years ago when Forum, the China & Glass Retailer in Christopher Place closed we tried to acquire the premises but were advised that the landlords and re-developers only wanted large Brand Name retailers in their prestige redevelopment. We searched for other premises but found that any reasonably modern premises in St Albans were immediately offered to national companies if they became available and that small businesses had to take on units off the main streets which were often very small and divided into several salons with restrictions on any alterations because they were either listed buildings or in conservation areas. We almost settled on premises in Verulam Road (now a retail kitchen unit supplier) but pulled out from signing the lease when we realized that months of road works were scheduled which would make it virtually impossible to trade. We have contacts with several retailers who remain in St Albans, all of whom have suffered great loss of business through continuing road works, high parking costs, increases in rents and rates and increased competition from various retail parks.

We are so pleased that we did not establish a business in St Albans and now very rarely use the town centre for any purpose. It has become one of the most user unfriendly towns that I know of due to the total misunderstanding of local needs by its councilors and planners. Millions of pounds of ratepayers money has been wasted on un-necessary road schemes which have brought no benefits to pedestrians, motorists, shoppers or businesses but have torn the heart out of the city

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Ian, St Albans says...
9:38am Mon 7 May 07

Herts highways are the most incompetant and innept organisation conceivable and their actions will have long term and damaging implications to the city. It would seem that their intent is to drive all the small businesses out of town, presumably thereby making the entry of a large supermarket selling a variety of items more acceptable. Is it not time that an on-line or written petition was raised to register the overwhelming vote of no confidence that the citizens of St Albans have in this organisation and its chief executive

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Adam Stockton, St Albans says...
5:06pm Tue 15 May 07

Ian, What good is a vote of no confidence? Or a petition?
They will just ignore it. And what will we do? Nothing. They know that. What are we going to do? Stop using the roads they build? Not Likely!
The only thing likely to have an impact is the young (Not retired) affluent people moving out of the city. We are the cash cows. We fund this town. Without us, budgets would have to be lower and their would be less money to be made. They would then have to attract us back into the town. The only way to do that is give us what we want.
Give Us:
A good traffic system.
Shops we want.
Affordable housing (and no I not cheap, just if I pay £200,000 for a property, it better have more than 1 room).

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