SCP6 PARKING
before leaving” says Market Force CEO Tim Ogle. “These results show that shopping centre and high street management also have a vital role to play in bringing consumers back to the shops.” Portas highlighted that to offer free parking all day is not the solution, but writes: “To go head to head with the out-of- town offering, high streets need to have a more flexible, well communicated parking offer.” She give Chester’s ‘Free After Three’ parking promotion, which
offers free parking after 3pm at three of the city’s car parks, as an example of a balanced solution. As well as Swindon, which reduced short stay parking charges
in the three premium rate ‘pay on foot’ multi-storey car parks and all car parks in Old Town for a fixed period of time – a charging structure that encourages a four hour stay. The government’s full response to the Portas Review is due in the spring and it was announced at the beginning of February that twelve pilot towns would be chosen to try out some of the review’s key recommendations in the hope it will identify new approaches and innovations. With councils relying heavily on parking tariffs and fines to
bolster dwindling budgets, and in-town shopping centres relying on parking fees as one of their biggest revenue generators, is free controlled parking feasible? And if Portas’ recommendation is adopted, who’s going to pay for it? Responses poured in from various facets of the industry.
The British Parking Association’s response reads: “Our primary concern is that the report fails to acknowledge that car park users are not solely influenced by price. They also take more account of quality, convenience, safety and accessibility of their destination when they make their parking choices. There is no such thing as free parking – someone has to pay for it.” According to the organisation, trials have shown that abolishing parking charges opens car parks up to abuse by staff and commuters to the detriment of visitors and shoppers. It says parking should be managed intelligently for it to work as intended, requiring effective enforcement which costs money and that people are prepared to pay for good customer service and quality parking facilities. With regards to parking on private land, the statement reads: “In
many town centres, a large share of parking facilities are provided, not by the local authorities but by commercial businesses and private parking operators who will not provide free parking. “The report ignores this fact and also fails to recognise that local authority car parks are often in direct competition with private providers. Therefore, interfering artificially in the pricing mechanism will simply distort parking behaviours and confuse the user. These private parking operators are providing a valuable service in town centres in the same way as the other legitimate businesses this report is aiming to protect.” Grahame Rose, director of development at CP Plus, says he
would be prepared to work with shopping centre clients if councils put pressure on them to offer periods of controlled free parking to mirror other car parks in the area but he is sceptical of the recommendation. “I can see what she’s driving at but I don’t think reducing parking is the full solution,” he says. “There’s no such thing as free parking, they cost money to be maintained and parking charges are a form of control – they are there to regulate demand, if it’s free it tends to become a free for all with car parks filled up by commuters. “Free periods would need policing and management companies would need to be hired to ensure people abide by the rules – how is
SHOPPING CENTRE March 2012
www.shopping-centre.co.uk
Andrew Cole
“Car parks run by shopping centres are generally better than those run by councils.”
that extra service going to be paid for? Unless shops pay the owner in order to offer free parking, and I can’t see that happening, it’s a no-goer.”
The Gloucester Quays car park tariff is set in-line with the
council-owned car parks in the city at £2 for up to two hours, £4 for up to four hours, £6 for up to six hours and £10 for six to 24 hours with a flat rate of £2 between 6pm and 12am. “We’ve got a very nice car park and we’ve won several awards,”
says centre manager Richard Rawlings. “Car parks run by shopping centres are generally better than those run by councils, and there’s a justification in pricing in that. People are willing to pay a small amount to park in a 24-hour, well lit, safe and secure car park complete with CCTV, lifts and pedestrian walkways. And if they get free parking as part of a promotion for spending in store then that’s a bonus. “We’re mindful that parking charges is an emotional subject, ask
any centre manager and they’ll tell you the same thing. People might use their bikes or park & ride but it’s human nature to want to travel in your own vehicle – people still want to use their cars. If parking
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