Where have all the customers gone?

Dec 7th, 2009 | By admin | Category: Parking

Pay and DisplyA recent survey suggests that businesses in towns with insufficient car parking lose customers to other destinations. The survey also demonstrated that the quality of and access to parking provision within a five minute walk of main shopping streets has a significant impact on store performance.

Independent retailers in town centres are the engines of local economies and parking policy must take account of the needs of small businesses if town centres are to thrive. Businesses rely on the movement of goods and people and on their ability to stop at their desired destination. Parking is vital therefore, not just for business owners and their employees, but also for deliveries and customers.

The dependence of independent retailers on sensible parking policies is being undermined by local councils who treat parking as a means of generating revenue as opposed to a way of managing traffic and benefitting the local community. Local councils are said to have made £1.6 billion from public parking charges and fines in 2005, up from £628 million in 1997.

It’s time local councils adopted a new approach to parking provision – parking should be seen as a vital service not as a short term revenue grab.

Too many town centres across the country bear the scars of poorly thought out parking policy and it’s time that councils recognise that parking is an essential element for successful local economies.

Parking provision in town centres should be seen as a service that is bespoke, smart and a fundamental part of an area’s transport strategy if they want to keep trade local and stop our town centres dying on their feet.

The South Tyneside Independents believe that:

• Local authorities should view parking as an essential service and not as a short term revenue grab

• Parking policy should be seen as an integral part of transport strategy with local authorities including it in their Local Transport Plans

• Parking policy must be tailored to the individual locality with the necessary balance and adaptability to reflect the needs of the individual locality

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2 comments
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  1. Raj Sengild December 8th, 2009 9:41 am :

    The King Street area of Shields and the surrounding retail outlets resemble a ghost town.

    No doubt one of the problems is a lack of parking spaces for shoppers.

    Why then, is the old Asda car park standing empty? Surely any cost of converting it into a commercial/value for money facility would be recuperated on the first day?

    I understand that a planning restriction on the land’s deeds state that this area must always be used for public parking, so any future developer would have to open it up for shoppers anyway.

    Sounds like a simple idea to me, but possibly to simple for South Tyneside executives to understand.

  2. david March 24th, 2010 8:23 am :

    One thing i have learned from being a CEO is Asda car park wouldnt be used as much as people think. I found that the further the car park is away from the market the less likely people are to use it. Asda car park is also not close enough for people to king st and the fact they would have to walk uphill to it with bags etc is enough to put people off. The customs house nearly always has spaces available but people dont want to use it as its to far away from the market. I was one of those CEOs that actually talked to the people instead of slapping PCNs on cars and you can learn a lot by listening. The new Asda is great but the loss of Coronation St car park hasn’t helped the parking situation and Harton Staithes is going to be gone soon and then what will people do?

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