Agenda item

Following the approval of a Motion at the Council meeting in October, 2025 and the initial discussion at the Board’s December 2025, meeting, to consider offering free or discounted car parking for shoppers in Aldershot and Farnborough town centres (copy of Motion wording attached).

 

Lee McQuade, Economy and Growth Service Manager, will be in attendance at the meeting to provide a short presentation and to guide the discussion.

The Chair welcomed Mr Lee McQuade, Economy and Growth Service Manager and Mr David Phillips, Service Manager – Commercial Services, who provided further information in relation to the approval of a Motion at the October, 2025 Council meeting that had called upon the Board to consider whether free or discounted car parking might be offered to shoppers in Aldershot and Farnborough town centres. The Board was reminded that an initial discussion on this matter had been held at its meeting in December, 2025. The wording of the agreed Motion was attached to the agenda and this requested that officers, under guidance from PPAB, should develop a suitable method of consulting residents, local businesses and potential investors about the likely impact of free or discounted parking and how it might work best.

 

Members were reminded that, at the December meeting, it had been explained that evidence showed that parking cost could influence behaviour and that high charges could discourage short visits, impulse shopping and the use of cafes and other hospitality outlets but it was also acknowledged that cost was one of many factors that could affect these decisions. It was agreed at the December meeting that officers would:

 

·                    Assess the impact of limited or targeted changes, e.g. time-limited offers at specific car parks

 

·                    Present PPAB with information to assess views on these options

 

·                    Exclude wider measures e.g. refund mechanisms or other ways to support town centre businesses

 

·                    Note that no formal consultation with residents or businesses had taken place at this stage

 

The Board was informed that research had shown that free parking trials had been carried out in Farnham, Cambridge and Peterborough but, in each case, special circumstances had prevailed, such as major roadwork disruption in Farnham town centre. In Rochford a 30-minute free parking pilot had been trialled, aimed at supporting quick trips and boosting local access.  It was found, however, that whilst the trial had encouraged shorter stays but it had not increased overall time spent in the town and longer stays had been found to contribute significantly more to High Street spending.

 

Following the December meeting, officers had worked up three options  for the Board’s consideration:

 

·                    Free after 3pm at High Street Multi-Storey Car Park (MSCP), Napier Gardens and Farnborough Leisure Centre

 

·                    £1 after 3pm at High Street MSCP, Napier Gardens and Farnborough Leisure Centre

 

·                    Free on Sundays at all car parks

 

Members were informed that Option 1 (free after 3pm at selected car parks) would lead to a predicted loss of income or £68,585 over a twelve-month period, Option 2 (£1 after 3pm at selected car parks) would lose £26,682 p.a. and Option 3 (free on Sundays) would lose £100,330 per year. In considering these figures, the Board was informed that additional costs had not been included at this stage, such as the reprogramming of ticketing machines and the advertising of the new tariffs. There was also the likelihood that drivers would divert from other Council-owned car parks to the cheaper car parks, therefore reducing revenue at those sites also. Members were informed that to trial any of the options for three months would result in the Council accepting a loss  of revenue of 25% the totals set out above.

 

In discussing the content of the presentation, the Board raised the following points:

 

·                    Widely felt that the new leisure centre car park would be too remote for shopping – Meads car park considered a better option and would drive footfall through the Meads

 

·                    Query as to way figures representing the losses that would apply were higher than previously quoted – explained that tariffs had gone up since that time

 

·                    Any initiative would need to demonstrate a cost benefit, especially when Council finances are so tight

 

·                    Could any initiative target days of the week where footfall struggling in the town centres? Also days when events happening in town centres

 

·                    Need also to consider any additional income lost from not issuing Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) whilst concession in place

 

·                    View expressed that the suggested three month trial would not produce accurate results due to seasonal changes – would need to be minimum of one year

 

·                    View expressed that the Sunday free parking option provided the highest potential  for getting extra people into the town centres

 

·                    View expressed that free parking may not provide the desired results and that improving/repairing infrastructure in town centres might be a better spend

 

·                    Felt that free/reduced parking after 3pm would not be likely to benefit Napier Gardens users as many North Camp shops close early

 

In summarising the discussion the Chair made the following observations:

 

·                    Too many relevant observations made to allow a decision to be made this evening

 

·                    Officers requested to take away the feedback from the meeting and return with further/amended options

 

·                    Leisure Centre car park to be replaced by Meads car park

 

·                    Re; amending the relevant time period for reduced/free parking, felt that might be different for North Camp as opposed to town centres

 

The Chair thanked Mr McQuade and Mr Phillips for their input and confirmed that this item would be programmed to be discussed again at a future Board meeting.