Shoppers are being asked to back a nationwide campaign calling on the government to grant 90 minutes of free parking in town and city centres, aiming to help boost struggling high streets across Britain.
A parliamentary petition was created by retail event organiser Spring & Autumn Fair to build momentum for the proposal, which the group believes would draw consumers back to shopping areas and level the playing field across the country.
The push follows a survey of over 2,000 UK consumers, which revealed that nearly two-thirds – 63 per cent – said free parking would encourage them to visit their local high street more regularly.
Additionally, the Voice of Retail report, commissioned by Spring & Autumn Fair, surveyed 650 independent retailers and found that almost four in 10 viewed free parking as the single most important action local authorities could take to support town centres.
British fashion designer Jeff Banks, co-founder of the Warehouse chain and former presenter of long-running TV series The Clothes Show, has signed the petition and urged shoppers to follow suit.
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.
“Please support this campaign to back local businesses and bring shoppers back to the high street.”
Organisers of the campaign said a 90-minute free parking national standard would help end the inconsistency of parking rules across the UK, which they argue depends on your postcode.
Some towns have no free parking at all, while others have schemes offering just 30 minutes.
Jackson Szabo, portfolio director at Spring & Autumn Fair, 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.”
He said consumers could show their support for local businesses by signing the petition.
“Every signature is a vote for stronger local communities,” he added.