The Federation of Small Businesses is the UK’s largest campaigning pressure group promoting and protecting the interests of the self-employed and owners of small firms. Formed in 1974, it now has around 200,000 members nationally, 5,000 of those in Greater Manchester and north Cheshire.
Simon Edmondson, FSB Regional Chairman, writes…
IMAGINE FOR a moment you’re at the cinema to see the latest post-apocalyptic Hollywood blockbuster.
The producers have worked hard to create a barren, unkempt vista, depicting roads strewn with pot holes, tarmac dilapidated through years of neglect, and huge cracks snake the surface.
But this isn’t the film – this is reality of so many of the roads here in our region, and probably much of the UK elsewhere if truth be told. After years of being overlooked though, it’s no surprise and the issue is now firmly on the agenda of small businesses.
From a choice of five key issues, FSB members this month chose the region’s rapidly disintegrating road network as the area they would like to see more investment over the next five years.
Our poll of members across Greater Manchester and North Cheshire asked where business owners would like to see more investment following the General Election. A huge 37 per cent of respondents chose ‘repairing the region’s roads’.
No doubt surprising to some, this was ahead of ‘major transport infrastructure’ (31 per cent); ‘developing the quality of apprenticeships’ (24 per cent), and far ahead of ‘improving broadband speeds’ (8 per cent).
In addition to this, 68 per cent of local FSB members thought the region’s road network had not been maintained to an acceptable standard over the last three years – and for those s paying out a lot of their hard earned cash in business rates, that must irk.
Asked whether they thought better roads and pavements would help improve trade, 28 per cent indicated ‘yes’, 26 per cent said ‘no’, and 46 per cent were ‘unsure’.
Our members rely heavily on the road network for their businesses to function: for staff to get to and from work; for deliveries; for customers to visit and spend. These are vital trade routes for the small businesses to thrive. So why have so many been allowed to fall in to such disrepair?
We know small firms hang much of their business operations on the road network, more so than rail in most cases, yet we have a road network that is almost third world in some areas, something of a national embarrassment, and quite possibly a hindrance to business.
With the local elections looming, as well as the General Election, small business will be looking to pledges of action by politicians from all forms of government.
Find out more about the FSB on their website.
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