Mayor's View: Free parking is coming to Peterborough

It was an election pledge, and I’m pleased we’re nearly there. 

Getting things done is why I got into politics. That may sound like a cliché, but if it were simple, everyone would be doing it. Free parking still takes two parties working together, agreeing funding, identifying car parks and ensuring value for money on both sides. It takes patience and partnership. 

And that, looking back, has been the story of my first year. 

I stood for election to get this region moving and saying I'd work with anyone willing to get things done. That approach has started to pay off. 

The bigger picture in Peterborough is that its much needed regeneration is gathering pace. I've set out my intention to create a Mayoral Development Corporation for Peterborough. It’s the same model that shaped and grew this city from the 1960s to the 1980s. Peterborough's time for change has come again. The City Council and MP are behind it, we've written to Government calling for it, and the city centre Growth Board agreed this year is an important first step. 

The Youth Hub launch at Peterborough United in the autumn is another example.  

For those that don’t know, it’s a one-stop shop helping young people in Peterborough get into work, education or training. Support with jobs, apprenticeships, housing, mental health and more are all under one roof. It was a partnership with Peterborough United Foundation, Jobcentre Plus and EFL in the Community and it's already making a difference to young people who need it most. 

Nothing much happens in isolation and one of my key roles as Mayor is to bring people together and make the case to Government for the investment the city needs. I did that as MP – Peterborough Station Quarter is the biggest Levelling Up Fund project in the country – and I helped secure £48 million from Government for the Combined Authority to make it happen. We’ll soon see the main construction works begin.  

Free parking is clearly not as complicated as regenerating Peterborough, but it matters to people. It could be the difference between a night out in town or a night in front of the TV. It could be popping to the high street for a browse and a shop, or choosing online. Our city centre deserves a fighting chance, and free parking after 3pm is about giving it one. 

My year one has been about getting things done, but also laying the foundations to go faster in year two.  

When politicians make pledges, people are sceptical and I get that. But the answer is to deliver — not stop making them. Free parking is coming. 

I’ll keep pushing forward.