Petition Calls for 90 Minutes Free Parking Across England

90 Minutes Free Parking Campaign Targets England’s High Streets

Petition Calls for 90 Minutes Free Parking to Support High Street Retailers A parliamentary petition is calling for a national minimum of 90 minutes’ free parking in town and city centres across England, in a campaign aimed at helping high street retailers and encouraging more people to shop locally. The petition argues that parking costs can make visits to town centres more expensive at a time when businesses are already facing rising operating costs and competition from online retailers. Campaign calls for longer free parking The campaign is calling for the Government to introduce a 90-minute minimum period of free parking in town and city centres across England. Supporters say the measure could encourage shoppers to spend more time visiting independent shops, cafés, restaurants and other local businesses. The campaign is backed by SPRINGFAIR UK retail trade show, while fashion designer Jeff Banks CBE has also publicly supported the proposal. The petition was created by Emma Hussain and is due to remain open until 23 January 2027. What does the research say? Research commissioned by the campaign organisers found that 63% of surveyed consumers said free parking would encourage them to visit their local high street more often. The same research found that 38% of independent retailers identified free parking as the measure that would have the biggest positive impact on their business. These figures come from research commissioned by the organisers, rather than an independent government assessment, but they form part of the campaign's case for changing parking policy. The British Retail Consortium has also highlighted parking costs as one factor affecting town-centre visits. Tom Ironside, Director of Business & Regulation at the BRC, said cheaper or free short-term parking would be welcome, while also pointing to business rates and other costs facing high street businesses. Could councils lose parking income? Introducing a national free parking requirement would also raise questions about how councils would replace revenue currently generated through parking charges. There could also be wider considerations around congestion, parking availability and the potential effect on public transport. The petition therefore goes beyond simply reducing the cost of a short shopping trip, as any national change would need to be considered alongside how local authorities manage their parking networks. Under the parliamentary petitions process, the Government responds to petitions that reach 10,000 signatures, while petitions reaching 100,000 signatures are considered for debate in Parliament. The petition remains open until January 2027, meaning there is still time for its level of support to develop. For drivers, the campaign highlights the continuing debate over whether town-centre parking charges help manage limited parking space or create an additional barrier for people visiting local businesses.