Retail leaders have urged supermarkets and convenience store owners to campaign against car parking charges, which they claim are helping to kill the high street.
The BRC today launched a Parking Toolkit, giving retailers advice on how to approach local authorities and stressing the economic impact on towns of parking fees.
The consortium said it was vital retailers stressed the damage caused to trade, despite car parking charges raising almost £1bn a year for local authorities.
The toolkit gives advice on how businesses should gather research data showing how car parking charges are affecting trade in their areas. This includes footfall data, levels of charges and competition from free car parks elsewhere.
It also contains information on how to approach local authorities and what counter-arguments to use if councils attempt to defend car parking fees.
“With parking charges generating almost £1bn, it means there are nearly a billion reasons preventing shoppers visiting the high street,” said Dominic Curran, property policy advisor at the BRC.
“Difficulties and costs associated with parking are a major deterrent to shoppers reaching high streets and town centres across the country.
“The BRC Parking Toolkit gives every retailer the tools to fight for lower parking charges, and for the resulting boosts in footfall and spending.”
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