Councillors are to consider bringing back the first hour of free parking in Ilkeston, six months after our poll found overwhelming support for changes to the town’s parking charges.
The proposal will go before a meeting of Erewash Borough Council on Thursday, amid concern that the free Saturday parking introduced by the authority is not delivering the boost some town-centre businesses had hoped for.
Although motorists can now park without charge on Saturdays, traders have questioned whether the arrangement encourages people to spend money in Ilkeston. All-day free parking can allow spaces to be occupied for hours by workers or by people leaving their cars in town before travelling elsewhere by bus, reducing the number available to shoppers.
A free first hour would be designed to work differently, removing the cost of shorter visits while encouraging a regular turnover of spaces throughout the week.
The idea closely reflects the findings of an Ilkeston News poll held in January, following the return of parking charges after the council’s free December scheme.
More than 500 people took part and the result was decisive. Of the 512 votes cast, 278 people — 54.3% — chose a free first hour. A further 89 wanted parking to be free all the time, 86 backed three free hours and 57 preferred a free 30-minute period.
Only two people voted to leave the existing charging arrangements unchanged. Overall, almost 88% supported some form of free parking, but the most popular individual option was a time-limited first hour intended to make short visits easier.
The findings were subsequently passed to Erewash Borough Council.
Now Councillor Price, supported by Councillor Maginnis, has submitted a motion calling for the first hour to be reinstated in council-owned car parks.
The previous first-hour-free scheme ended in early 2020. In the motion, the councillors argue that its return would encourage more people to shop in Ilkeston and Long Eaton and provide support at a difficult time for both high streets.
The proposal is likely to reopen the wider debate over what town-centre parking is intended to achieve. Removing charges for an entire day may be welcomed by motorists, but it does not guarantee that the people using the spaces are visiting local shops. A shorter free period could instead encourage more frequent visits while ensuring spaces do not remain occupied all day.
The motion asks the council to recognise the economic pressures facing the borough’s high streets and reinstate the first hour of free parking in an attempt to attract more shoppers.
It has not yet been approved and will be debated when the full council meets at Long Eaton Town Hall at 7pm on Thursday, 23 July.