Survey responses - Market Place
Question 3:
The Market Place is currently used as space for market stalls on market days and for general parking at all other times. This parking is unrestricted. The Board’s preferred option is option three – use the space differently. Which is your preferred option?
- 600 respondents (45%) selected option one – leave as existing as their preferred option
- 534 respondents (40%) selected option three - use the space differently as their preferred option
- 127 respondents (10%) selected option two – amend parking area as their preferred option
Comparison by age, disability respondent type
Age - There was a difference in responses when comparing by age groups.
Respondents aged 64 and younger (333, 49% within that age group) selected option three – use the space differently as their preferred option followed by option one – leave as existing (261, 38%), and option two – amend parking area (86, 13%).
Respondents 65 and over (273, 59% within that age group) selected option one – leave as existing as their preferred option, which is the same as the overall results. Followed by option three – use the space differently (155, 34%) and option two amend parking area (33, 7%).
Disability - There was a difference in responses when comparing by disability.
Respondents with disability (141, 57% within that group) selected option one – leave as existing as their preferred option which is the same as the overall results. Followed by option three - use the space differently (77, 31%) and option two - amend parking area (28, 12%).
Respondents without disability (399, 48% within that group) selected option three use the space differently as their preferred option. Followed by option one – leave as existing (345, 42%) and option two - amend parking area (87, 10%).
There was no difference in responses when comparing by respondent type.
Question 4:
Please provide any additional comments on why you have answered this way
There were 550 text responses supporting the chosen option including:
- 295 comments supporting option one – leave as existing
- 45 comments supporting option two – amend parking area
- 186 comments supporting option three – use the space differently
- 24 comments with no option selected
Summary of responses of themes and, or suggestions for improvement for Market Place across all options
The top themes and, or suggestions for improvements across all comments for Market Place were grouped as follows:
- close occasionally for events – 23 comments
- provide more disabled parking – 23 comments
- share space on market days – 19 comments
- enhance street scene (for example seating, greenery or street cleansing)– 16 comments
- pedestrianise – 14 comments
Option one - leave as existing (295 comments)
Respondents felt that:
- free parking was crucial to Market Place as it provided convenient access to local businesses
- current arrangements for Market Place worked well and supported local businesses
- there were too many cafés already and a pavement cafés scheme would likely benefit one café only
The top three themes and, or suggestions for improvement for Market Place, specific to this option, were grouped as follows:
- close occasionally for events – 18 comments
- share space on market days– 13 comments
- provide more disabled parking – 5 comments
Option two - amend parking area dependent on parking displaced from other locations (45 comments)
Comments generally reflected that this would be dependant on the decisions made in other areas, that parking for disabled badge users is important, and that the Market Place may not be the ideal location for events and pavement cafes due to it being surrounded by roads.
The top three themes and, or suggestions for improvement for Market Place specific to this option were grouped as follows:
- provide more disabled parking – 7 comments
- share space in Cornmarket – 4 responses
- pedestrianise – 3 responses
Option three - use space differently for example for events and pavement cafes (186 comments)
Respondents felt that:
- Market Place was a central point of the town and could be used in a different way to benefit the community. It could become a destination of its own to attract more people into town
- there was adequate parking elsewhere
The top themes and, or suggestions for improvement for Market Place specific to this option were grouped as follows:
- enhance street scene – 16 responses
- pedestrianise – 11 responses
- seasonal closure on Market Place – 11 responses
- provide more disabled parking – 9 responses
- close occasionally for events – 5 responses
Comments not assigned to any option (24 comments):
The top themes and, or suggestions for improvement for Market Place specific to this option were grouped as follows:
- share space on market days – 2 responses
- condense market stalls into one location to allow parking – 2 responses
- free parking – 2 responses
- provide more disabled parking in town centre – 2 responses