UK councils are being urged to standardise free town centre parking to end the "postcode lottery" and revitalise the high street. Event organiser Spring and Autumn Fair, which runs biannual events at the NEC Birmingham, launched a parliamentary petition to standardise town centres so every region offers 90 minutes of free parking. At present, some offer unlimited free stays while others charge increasing fees.
Shoppers back free parking
A survey found nearly two-thirds (63%) of shoppers said free parking would encourage them to visit their high street more often, based on 2,000 voters. Among 650 independent retailers surveyed, nearly 40% said free parking was the most vital thing councils could change to support town centres.
Campaigners call for support
Mr Szabo, portfolio director at Spring and Autumn Fair which commissioned the Voice of Retail report, urged people to sign the petition. He said: "People tell us they want vibrant town centres, independent shops and thriving local businesses. But they also want those places to be easy to visit."
"At the moment, whether you can enjoy free parking for half an hour, an hour or not at all depends entirely on your postcode. It’s become a parking postcode lottery," reports Oxford Mail.
Designer backs campaign
Jeff Banks, British fashion designer and co-founder of the Warehouse chain, backed the campaign and urged shoppers to "back local businesses and bring shoppers back to the high street". He said: "If we’re serious about supporting local shops and the communities around them, we need to remove the barriers that make visiting the high street harder than it needs to be."
"Making 90 minutes’ free parking available would be a simple, practical step that could make a real difference to footfall and give people another reason to choose their local high street."
High street struggles
The high street has suffered widespread closures in recent years. Bosses of different chains blamed the downfall on several factors, such as increased high street rent, business rates, lower footfall, and shoppers opting for out of town retail centres, where parking is often free.
Major banks have closed hundreds of sites across the UK, attributing it to the rise in online banking. Nostalgic chains such as WHSmith have completely retreated from the high street to focus on shops in airports and train stations, while clothing stores such as Quiz fell into administration.
