Greener
MAKING WINCHESTER GREENER:
"By joining the BID waste and recycling scheme we have made in savings which match the BID Levy alone. We aim to make our business as green as possible and the BID will help us to achieve this."
Seb Brancy, Owner, La Place Bistro
Winchester BID will continue to make Winchester Greener through the following projects:
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Winchester BID has been working in partnership with Meercat Associates to design a waste and recycling scheme to be implemented for the benefit of its members across the city. Meercat have carried out a survey to gain an understanding of members’ requirements and waste management practices. After a long tender period BID and Meercat are delighted to announce Southern Waste Management as the new provider for the BID service. The BID will be rolling out this scheme from Monday 2nd April 2012.
For more information click here or to view the updated brochure click here.
JOINT PROCUREMENT SCHEME
By bringing together the buying power of the community Meercat are able to reduce costs and improve service levels for every business, also all the work will be done for them. Utilities is a favourite and by reviewing businesses current contracts and renegotiating for them, we save every business on average many times their bid levy. We also review how they are using their energy and provide them with a report on how they can further save by becoming energy efficient, again all this is provided to them for free.
For more information please call 01444 416529, email winchester@meercatassociates.com or click here to visit their website.
IMPROVING ACCESS
No city centre strategy for Winchester can ignore access and parking, and Hampshire County Council and Winchester City Council have been working for some years on the new Transport Access Plan for the city. The BID has been part of these deliberations and has produced a Strategy document on the various issues that it has presented to the Winchester City Council and the other stakeholders.
TOWN CENTRE ACCESS PLAN
Improving access is a difficult strategic task in an historic city such as Winchester. Winchester BID, through its membership lobbying and working with the Winchester City Council and WinAcc on transport policies has also helped provide the political drive to bring forward investment in access, car parks and additional park & ride – all key in promoting Winchester as a forward thinking, vibrant city destination.
We intend to push for better use of existing facilities through improved signage to car parks, including electronic boards highlighting the number of spaces available and by giving users at key access points a better experience in terms of the quality of welcome and information.
Winchester BID needs to be realistic about what it can achieve at a modest levy; it will be unable to engage directly in the provision of major infrastructure. However, Winchester BID can be effective in setting and managing specific footfall targets, whilst continuing to press for investment in infrastructure and lobbying for improvement through links with the Hampshire Chamber, Winchester City Council and Hampshire County Council.
TRANSPORT AND CAR-PARKING
Good transport is vital to the future success of Winchester Businesses. The retail, service and leisure sectors require good transport to bring in their customers, while all businesses require transport for their staff. At the same time, the need to develop a low carbon economy has to be respected.
The current proposal focuses on providing an effective strategy for car parking to encourage shoppers and other visitors to come to Winchester.
• designate the Park and Ride as primarily for those who work in Winchester and to encourage the location of businesses in Winchester by providing cost effective parking with rapid and frequent transit between car park and the city centre. Most importantly, this should extend to the evening hours to encourage Winchester workers to support the evening economy.
• designate city centre car parks as primarily for clients, customers, shoppers and visitors. The Winchester retail and leisure economy needs to encourage them and it is vital that affordable and attractive car parking is seen as part of the package of support of Winchester business.
The BID will continue to work with the City and local groups such as WinAcc to develop Transport Access Plans that meet the needs of the business community. The BID is looking to support ‘shared space’ proposals
GREENER PARTNERSHIP WORKING
The BID works in partnership with a number of bodies, such as Winchester City Council, Hampshire County Council, Meercat Associates and WinAcc to provide greener solution for the City.