BBC Midlands Today: Retailers Rally Behind 90-Minute Free Parking Petition

A new parliamentary petition calling for 90 minutes of free parking in towns and city centres has received strong backing from retailers at Autumn Fair, with the campaign highlighting the role parking costs play in high street footfall.

Free parking could encourage more consumers to visit their local shopping street, according to new research highlighted during a BBC Midlands Today report from Autumn Fair at the NEC Birmingham.

Voices of Retail research found that 63% of consumers would be encouraged to visit their local high street more often if free parking was available, while 38% of retailers said free parking would have the greatest positive impact on their business.

The figures come as retailers attending Autumn Fair, one of the UK’s major retail buying events, voiced their support for a new parliamentary petition calling for 90 minutes of free parking in towns and city centres. Our attendees showed their support on the show floor:

“We absolutely support this petition. Keeping our high streets alive is essential.”

Another retailer highlighted the financial barrier parking charges can create for shoppers:

“We need to have places where people can come and get things they want and not have to pay £10 or £11 for parking as well.”

For others, the issue is particularly important where public transport does not provide a convenient alternative.

“Public transport isn't always as good in the town centres, so free parking is a real incentive.”

Retailers feel the impact of declining high street footfall

More than 40,000 retailers visit Autumn Fair every year, giving the event a unique insight into the challenges facing independent businesses across the UK. With declining footfall continuing to affect high streets, many retailers attending this year's show have already signed the free parking petition.

Laura McMullan, reporting for BBC Midlands Today, highlighted the research behind the campaign:

“63% of consumers say they want to visit the high street more and would if they had free parking, and 38% of retailers say free parking would have the greatest positive impact on their business.”

For independent retailers, the issue is not simply about convenience, it can be a significant barrier to accessing the high street.

Alice Beckett, who runs a giftware shop in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, said parking charges have been putting customers off for years.

“I think this petition is really important because high streets are having such a tough time, and it's become a great barrier to access for high streets. It's so important.”

Could councils afford to scrap parking charges?

While retailers are backing the campaign, there are challenges around how free parking would be funded. Councillor Carl Cashman of the Local Government Association explained that parking fees form part of many councils' budgets.

“I think because of the issues that councils are facing, actually parking fees make up a part of their budget. And if we get rid of those parking fees, the budgets would have to be made up elsewhere.”

The debate therefore goes beyond simply removing parking charges, with questions around how councils could replace the revenue generated by parking. Fashion designer and retailer advocate Jeff Banks, however, argued that small retailers are already contributing significantly to the economy through other forms of taxation and business costs.

“They're already getting business rates, [a] percentage on rental, national income, VAT, so national government is already earning out of these small retailers, but not helping them at all.”

Every incentive counts for the high street

The parking petition was not the only initiative supporting independent retailers at Autumn Fair. The event also provided an opportunity for independent retailers to win promotional marketing support, reinforcing the wider message that every incentive can make a difference when it comes to bringing customers back to the high street.

With retailers continuing to face pressure from rising costs, changing consumer habits and declining footfall, the campaign for 90 minutes of free parking is adding another important voice to the conversation about how the UK's town and city centres can thrive.

The message from retailers at Autumn Fair is clear: making it easier and more affordable for customers to visit the high street could play an important role in securing its future.