TRANSPORT ANALYSIS Our baseline assessment of transportation in the now been addressed by the extension of parking • The rail station. Current levels of rail use are well study area reveals a town centre with many positive times to 2 and 3 hours. A shortage of off-street below the regional and national averages, which transport attributes, in particular: long stay car parking has also been identified. is very disappointing for a town centre location • The bus station. Despite its accessible location with a rail station. The proposed refurbishment • Relatively low levels of town centre congestion in the heart of the town centre, the bus station is of the rail station should assist in developing rail compared with other Lancashire towns. seen as out of date, and a source of significant patronage and improving the accessibility of the • The town centre environment is, in many places, pedestrian severance. Relocation of the bus town centre. favourable for walking. In particular, traffic station should be a major factor in the creation of levels are relatively low, there are a number of the town centre masterplan. pedestrianised streets, and the historic buildings • Significant clusters of road accidents occur in within the town centre create a pleasant a number of locations, particularly on Eastgate, environment for the pedestrian in many areas Blackburn Road and the viaduct roundabout. • Good levels of walking demonstrated by census In each of these three cases, it is also notable data, particularly amongst those who work in the that pedestrians have frequently been involved in town centre. accidents. • Good local bus connections. • Improvements in bus priority. These have the potential to be provided through East Lancashire However, a number of specific areas for improvement Rapid Transit, and will need to be well integrated are identified, most particularly: with any new bus station which is provided • Lack of provision for cyclists within the town • Significant pedestrian severance caused by the centre. Levels of cycling in Accrington are major roads around the town centre. This is currently very low, particularly when compared particularly the case with regard to Eastgate. with the relatively large number of people who • Parking. There is a perception of a lack of walk to work in the town centre. Our baseline parking opportunities close to the main town work has revealed a lack of good quality provision centre retail areas, in particular the traditional for cyclists within the town centre area and market hall. Issues of inconsistency of on-street Accrington as a whole. In the town centre there parking restrictions have been identified. This has is particularly a lack of accessible, high quality cycle parking facilities in appropriate locations. 52 Discovering Accrington Figure 11 Roads and Parking 53 SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND Economic and Property Issues of resident earnings. Local residents are also earning PROPERTY MARKET less than local jobs are paying. This means residents Economic activity is higher in the rest of the Borough from neighbouring areas are capturing net income Socio-Economic Issues than in the town centre. In the town centre area, and taking it away from the town. This leakage will retired and sick/disabled individuals are also overly have a negative affect on local demand. Accrington Town Centre has suffered from significant represented and contribute to the economic inactivity population loss over the last ten years and this is rate. Over 43% of the working age-population around Retail expected to continue in the future. the town centre has no formal qualifications. In the town centre 500 firms were identified in 2006 Despite a fairly youthful population there has been Employment is much higher in manufacturing in with 37% retail and wholesale, 15% business services a particular fall in the 15-29 age range which has Hyndburn than the North West as a whole. Other and 8% hospitality, leisure and toursim. The critical implications in terms of workforce and a customer important employment sectors are retail, distribution, dependency is retail rising to 37% of all firms in the base in the town centre. hotels and restaurants, public administration, town centre. This dependency on retail for economic education and health. activity and employment means that the town must The 0-4 age group is rising. Childcare and flexible get the quantity and quality of the retail offer right to employment will be important issues to address to New firm starts are the primary indicator of economic ensure its sustainability as an employment sector. In enable parents to access employment. change and in Hyndburn these are low. Indicating that terms of business services there is a relative strength more support is needed in new business formation. in accounting and related activities in the town centre. Hyndburn was ranked the 40th most deprived The profile of existing businesses comprise many Some of the weaker areas in retail provision in the town Borough in the country in 2007. The Council is now low value added firms. centre as indicated by a low representation of firms working with the Government Office for the North are; West to analyse the extent to which this ranking In terms of occupational patterns Hyndburn is is a product of Hyndburn’s low wage economy. under-represented in managers and senior officials, • Fruit and vegetable Accrington and the surrounding area suffer from professionals, associate professional and technical • Bread, cakes and confectionary acute deprivation, with Index of Multiple Deprivation occupations and over-represented in skilled trades • Fashion retailing indicators shown to have worsened over the last 3 and process, plant and machine operatives compared • Books, newspapers and stationary years from 2004 to 2007. to the North West as a whole. This shows that Hyndburn needs to move up the occupational chain These everyday services affect the propensity for There is limited diversity in housing type, with the if greater levels of discretionary income expenditure people to visit a centre. The town centre is lacking majority of accommodation shown to be terraced, or is to be supported. hospitality services with an under-representation flats (90%). In terms of households, 35% are single of restaurants, bars, hotels and creative venues. person households in the town centre area. 19% of Earnings also reflect patterns of consumer demand. Establishments that do exist are not attractors in their households are privately rented. Hyndburn lags behind all neighbouring areas in terms own right but are serving the needs of people already in the town centre for a variety of reasons. 54 Discovering Accrington Office Residential The supply of office accommodation has been restricted There is no significant residential supply in the town The three sectors of the town centre economy, retail, to out of town locations on the M65 corridor. The Globe centre. A few upper floor rented flats are occupied business services and hospitality and leisure services provides some office space, but there have been no along Blackburn Road. New schemes around the are weak and show narrow ranges of offer. There is schemes since akin to Blackburn where a number of centre have sold 2 to 3 bedrooms houses between more to do and attract people in other town centres incubator type business centres have been developed £140,000 and £170,000. Further out apartments built in the region. in Huncoat and Oswaldtwistle have sold for, £100- There is an existing longstanding office quarter around £120,000. A retail study commissioned by Hyndburn Council Cannon St, where growth is reflected in transactions in 2005 found that convenience (food) retailing was and rental levels Conclusions under-represented in terms of units and floorspace with the ASDA on Hyndburn Road overtrading and Change in planning policy now favours in town office/ • Local catchment has low spending power, less considerable trade leaked out of the Borough and business parks, and as such there is a need to look than average incomes the Hyndburn economy. A need was identified for at the town centre to modernise and diversify office • This will create a brake on opportunities for additional convienience floorspace. accommodation. town centre regeneration unless new business development is attracted to the town and the A lack of larger units for comparision floorspace The latest deal in the Old Tannery achieved rents of in economy is diversified was also noted with retailer requirements haven excess of £10 per sq ft on large floor areas consistent • Improving the housing offer is part of this, fallen since 2004. Major retailers not in town include with Blackburn & Burnley and supports further growth. increasing local spending power Topshop, H&M, Next and River Island. There are Higher levels have been achieved in The Globe but in • Most critical objective is to promote investment many discount retailers. smaller suites. In the short term growth is supported and business development, key areas in town by public sector agencies and expansions of existing The Grange and Viaduct Gateway A business survey undertaken as part of the retail firms and managed workspace. • Strengthening the retail position of the town will study found that the most quoted threats to town not deliver sustained growth in prosperity unless centre businesses were a poor quality environment Industrial this is addressed and lack of day visitors to the town. • Reconfiguring outdated retail units and Industrial accommodation supply is mainly in upgrading shopping environments will be critical The town centre will decline unless it ups its offer and secondary historic sites, mainly freeholds limited by to changing image and attracting retailers into remains competitive. If this is not provided projected access and overall amenity. There are a few bad town growth in expenditure will leak to other centres. neighbour uses where opportunities exist to relocate • Building on the town’s unique qualities such as businesses to improve operations, access and the Market and independent retailers should be improve environment of the town.