When they demand “Free” Parking.
Macclesfield, in England, is considering “free” parking on Saturday. The local Merchants are demanding it as part of “Recession Mitigation.” The local authority is balking a bit since it would cost about $50,000 in decreased revenue each year. From the City’s point of view, that’s a bad thing.
The merchants are saying that their customers complain about parking costs and that free parking would bring in more business.
I wonder if the merchants have considered the fact that free parking would also bring in folks who aren’t customers, but just want a place to park for free. Employees, sightseers, those visiting friends, and the like. What will they do if instead of people complaining of paying for parking, they complain of no available parking?
I have not heard of a place where “free” parking was instituted that business increased. IN virtually every case, increased business was related to better stores, prices, more reasons for people to come downtown.
If the merchants are so worried, why not have a pile of pound coins and give them to people who complain. Problem solved.
OK, that wouldn’t work since I would simply walk up the street complaining at every store. However certainly a “validation” type of program would work, and I’m sure the P and D supplier could help with a “two part ticket,” one for the car and one for validations. You give your ticket to the merchant get a pound or whatever. Problem really solved.
JVH
3 Responses
Many years ago I “did” one of these, almost. I was the consultant working for the local council and went to a meeting with the local traders who were complaining that the new superstore on the edge of town (courtesey of “Saint” Margaret Thatcher) was closing down the town centre “because it has free parking”. I suggested the two part ticket where local traders could refund the parking fee if the customer spent more than say £5. The silence from the traders was deafening.
Similarly when a traders association suggested that the local council should offer free parking “to make the town more attractive” and I suggested that instead they should give a free can of beans to anyone who came into their stores having paid to park.
I recall a similar situation where the local downtown mall had a pay parking component that when the stores were quiet, parking was always the reason why. At the time there was a validation program that the merchants used, sparingly,but the big boxes were going up out on the highway and the pay parking was the constant reasoning for losing customers. However, we never heard complaints from the parkers, they always reasoned they knew there was pay parking when they shopped there and they accepted it. Strangely, when one of the anchor tenants, a large department store, ran their very popular “Scratch and Save” program the parking deck was almost full and there were no complaints of parking charges. Funny, there were no accolades that there was ample parking to handle the crowds! Parking is the scapegoat in most situations because business finds it hard to look within.
There is no such thing as “Free” parking. The pedestrian using the parking facility forgets that a parking facility must be maintained. The surfaces must be watered down (requiring an employee) the lights will need changing, the HVAC& R equipment must be cared for, there are parking attendants, restriping, PARC equipment…. and on top of it all, garages do not just pay for themselves.
As for “free” street parking- it is also non-existent. City’s have leases that must be paid (often times, parking is located on area that pays rent)restriping must be done regularly (especially in locals with harsher weather) If there is already a parking meter, or Paid parking equipment- the box alone is at a minumum $50,000- not including the amount of cash that it must maintian to function.
Parking Facilities should be designed for the pedestrian, because we spend more time in a parking garage as a person than as a driver…Thus all of the comforts that make garages safe and efficient such as: Well defined Entry/Exits, even illumination, proper wayfinding signage as well as functioning elevators/escalators, all require maintenance. These are comforts as well as necessities. The average user, who is not in the parking industry, overlooks what makes a parking facility tick. I always say, “They can never tell you what make a garage great, but they sure is hell will tell you what makes a garage horrible.”
You are not paying for the parking, you are paying for the comforts.