Editors comment Playing our part Louise Parfitt on ensuring inclusivity and sharing best practice Event season is well and truly upon us! With last months AOS conference (see pages 30-32) and the new BPA Live! (which will be reported on in our June issue) and Parkex just around the corner, we have great opportunities to discover what our peers are working on, hear others concerns and solutions, and share best practice. As always, Parkex is shaping up to be a bonanza of activity (find out more on pages 18-22). Next issue will be the Parkex show guide: if you are exhibiting and want to showcase your business, get in touch with my colleague John (see page 31). In our lead feature this month, our writer and former editor Sarah Juggins takes a long, hard look at what budget cuts mean for active travel policies, and also the lesser-reported impact of these decisions on women and more vulnerable groups (see pages 14-16). Inclusivity is a key reason why Cheshire West and Chester Councils parking team were so keen to be one of the first adopters of the National Parking Platform (see pages 24-25). It is also why Michael Gove recently wrote to local authorities in England urging them not to get rid of cash payments for parking completely (see pages 8-9). Its worth noting how the incoming 3G switch off may affect the range of parking payment options you can offer: we hear Plymouths experience on pages 28-29. Its election season at the BPA: Dave Smith tells us more on page 37, and Chair of the BPA Board Anjna Patel shares additional news in her regular column on page 40. Remember, this is your magazine, so please get in touch if you have a story to share: louise.parfitt@cpl.co.uk 7 PN May 2023 pp06-07 Editors Comment v2.indd 7 25/04/2023 10:56