Erewash’s Prospective MP Maggie Throup has launched an ambitious new campaign, which could finally see the restoration of a road through Ilkeston’s town centre.
As part of Maggie’s wider plans to bring shoppers back to our high street, she is proposing that Derbyshire County Council reinstate a one-way through road up Bath Street and through the Market Place to its junction with Wharncliffe Road, in an effort to increase footfall along the town’s main shopping area.
Maggie has placed petitions for local shoppers to sign in over 20 Bath Street shops, including U-Choose Smoothie Bar and I Hart Cards. Alternatively local residents can sign the petition ONLINE. Maggie also plans to hold a series of street stalls in Ilkeston Market Place, so that people can come along and find out more about the campaign, the first of which will be held next Thursday (2nd October) and Saturday (4th October).
The campaign comes as more than 80% of Ilkeston residents name high street regeneration as their number one priority for the town, in a recent survey conducted by Erewash Conservatives.
Speaking for the first time about her radical proposals for the town Maggie said:
“It is clear that the people of Ilkeston care passionately about their town centre. We need to create a highstreet fit for the 21st century, with a vibrant mix of small independent retailers and larger big named brands.
“Since pedestrianisation in the mid-1990’s, Bath Street has seen a decline both in the variety of shops and the number of shoppers able to use it.
“As a businesswomen, I know that it is the amount of passing trade or footfall that determines success for any retailer. That is why I am today calling on Derbyshire County Council, as the authority responsible for local highways, to reopen Bath Street to trade, so that we can get people back shopping on Bath Street and the Market Place again.”
Maggie believes that the move makes economic sense too, highlighting that:
“In 1993 two million passenger journeys per year started or finished in Ilkeston on local bus routes alone. The average bus passenger was shopping in the town more than twice a week and spent nearly £40 with local traders before pedestrianisation.
“Whilst I fully appreciate that people’s shopping habits have change significantly over the past 20 years; Ilkeston’s high street could stand to gain as much as £20 million a year if we can attract just 25% of those shoppers back to the town. This is something I believe is perfectly possible, especially considering that our new train station is due early next year.”
Maggie’s campaign has received the local backing of Bath Street retailers and shoppers alike, as well as the Borough Council.
Owner of Bath Street store Harper and Fitch Sandra Lee said:
“For me Maggie’s campaign hits the nail right on the head. As a retail business we rely on shoppers coming through our doors on a regular basis, but at the moment many people find Bath Street difficult to access because of the hill, especially our elderly and disabled customers. The reintroduction of a one-way through road, with regular buses once again travelling up the town makes perfect sense. I will certainly be encouraging all my customers to sign up to the petition.”
Bath Street Shopper Mrs Megan Walker:
“The fact is simple, people won’t trek up and down Bath Street if they can drive or catch the bus on South Street where it is flat, or even travel to nearby towns such as Alfreton and Belper.
“Yes Bath Street isn’t what it used to be, however it is no good talking our town down.
“This new campaign shows that in Maggie we have Champion for Ilkeston, and I for one will be signing this common sense petition to reopen Bath Street up to traffic.”
Council Leader, Cllr Chris Corbett said:
“The Council always welcomes new ideas on how to make Ilkeston more commercially viable, and so it is really refreshing to hear about Maggie Throup’s plans for the town.
“I can assure local residents that we will support Maggie’s campaign closely and work with her to achieve the best outcome for Ilkeston.”
Find out more about the campaign by either logging on to Facebook. Alternatively why not contact Maggie by emailing her at maggie@maggiethroup.com or calling 07919687556 to learn more about her ambitions plans for Ilkeston.