A COMMON suggestion from business owners, shoppers, and residents is that introducing free parking could encourage more people to visit and spend money in the town centre.
With several big name businesses leaving the high street in recent years, it is accepted that St Helens town centre has struggled with declining footfall over the years.
Inevitably, this has a knock-on effect on the businesses that shape our town centre, and many of them, including Polly James clothing shop, Wizzard Cards and Gifts, Tank bar, and more, suggest that free parking could be a quick way to boost footfall figures and encourage more people into town.
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As the issue of free parking has been raised before, St Helens Council has previously insisted that parking fees are an important source of income, necessary to maintain the running of its car parks and help keep a balanced budget.
The council has also said that the fees are in line with many other neighbouring local authorities.
However, as many residents have pointed out, it is free to park in many areas across Runcorn and Widnes town centres, and Halton Council told the Star that free parking “has always been an important advantage in attracting shoppers”.
The calls for free parking intensified last year, after the Star reported that St Helens Council made a loss of £69,000 from the maintenance of its car parks between 2022 and 2023.
The council said the loss on car parking for this year was due to car parking numbers “not yet returning to pre-pandemic levels”, adding that more people are now working from home.
The council said that the “economic downturn” is another reason why car parking numbers are down, although neighbouring councils in Wigan, Warrington, and Liverpool made a profit of £366k, £544k, and £3.2m from their respective car parks in the same year.
Halton Council also made a loss of £83k from the maintenance of its car parks in this period, but as mentioned, car parking is free for shoppers across Runcorn and Widnes.
As many residents have also been stung by private parking firms in St Helens town centre in recent years, such as at the Range and Mercure hotel, this is also believed to have discouraged people from visiting the town centre.
Business owners have also raised concerns about a perceived increase in parking fines in recent months, as well as the competition with nearby retail parks where parking is free.
Others have pointed out that the council's limited periods of free parking, for festive periods and special events, seems to have boosted footfall figures in the town centre.
As the council is aiming to address the decline of St Helens town centre with its huge £90m regeneration plans, calls for free parking have persisted as a suggestion that may boost custom in the intermediate years until these proposals are finally realised.
Speaking about the issue, a spokesperson for St Helens Borough Council said: “We understand that many residents and businesses want to see free parking introduced in St Helens town centre, but these charges remain an important source of income that contribute to maintaining our car parks, help us to balance our budget and protect essential services.
"This has never been more important due to the continued under funding of local government and the increasing costs of service delivery.
“We are actively working to deliver the adopted St Helens town centre masterplan and it is this investment that will support local businesses well into the future.
"As part of this, we recognise the need for quality car parking facilities in the town centres and we have made a commitment to provide high quality, safe parking day and night in their transformational, multi-million pound regeneration.
“We will also continue to support town centre businesses through a range of other initiatives alongside our current parking concessions that include parking for only £1 on Saturdays, free parking on Sundays and Bank Holidays and discounted permits, as well as free parking at key events and periods throughout the year, including the lead up to Christmas when high street footfall naturally increases.”
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