SME Business News

Council leaders in Croydon are demanding a meeting with NCP bosses to protest at the 15% increase in car parking charges in the city.

The borough council had decided to freeze its own car parking charges and hoped that NCP would do the same. Councillor Phil Thomas, Croydon’s cabinet member for environment and highways is concerned that increased parking charges will damage the local economy and deter motorists from using the city centre.

At last greedy councils are seeing the damage that ludicrous parking charges are causing to the local economy. For years parking has become more and more expensive as councils see it as an ideal source of revenue for very little effort. Now customers have a choice- and they are choosing not to drive around traffic laden town centres trying to find a parking space, only to pay through the nose for the privilege of parking their car.

The Federation Of Small Businesses and other groups representing small businesses, have been vociferous in their protest over exorbitant car parking charges for a long time, protesting that local trade is already losing business to out of town shopping centres, where parking is free.

Lets hope this government listens soon, before it is too late.