Hinckley - Free parking extended once more

[Web Admin]

Free parking extended once more

The initiative started as a trial last August but has proved so popular Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council are keen to carry it on



Shoppers in Hinckley will be pleased to hear a free town centre parking scheme is to be extended again - for the 11th month running.

The initiative started as a trial last August but has proved so popular Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council are keen to carry it on.

The authority has been renewing the offer on a month by month basis.

It means parking in Mount Street and Lower Bond Street is free all day Saturdays up until July 25.The scheme was designed to encourage shoppers into Hinckley during the redevelopment of the town centre and has proved to be very popular with visitors.

Executive member for town centres at the council, Councillor Chris Ladkin, said: “The free parking scheme in these key town centre car parks has been very popular with shoppers and retailers alike so we are keen to build on that success as we move into the warmer months.

“I am hoping it will continue to encourage people to keep shopping in the town, which has a great range of independent shops as well as a historic market for people to look round.”

The scheme is also supported by Hinckley BID and Jonathan White, Hinckley BID’s business development manager, added: “We thank the borough council for extending the free car parking offer and hope it will encourage the community to come out in greater numbers and support Hinckley town centre business.”


http://www.hinckleytimes.net/news/local-news/free-parking-extended-once-more-9619769#ICID=sharebar_twitter

[The Bald Eagle]

BPA Ltd must hate stories like these. It blows out of the water all their theories about parking charges being low on the agendas of motorists.

[Ewan Hoosami]

They do like mentioning their 'research' that 'proves' the public value convenience over cost. I found a poll on the internet that suggests otherwise. It goes a little something like this,

Did your High Street have free parking this Christmas? (Choose one)

       60% said that it did influence where they shopped

       21% said they spent more money on the high street

       19% said they spent more time on the high street

where do you think I found that little gem then? On the Bullshit Purveyors Association webshite, that's where.

http://www.britishparking.co.uk/Great-British-Parking-Poll

If you are going to try and pull the wool over people's eyes, you might want to hide anything that proves you are just making stuff up as you go along. Just an idea.

Some other little gems from that page,

Do you think current levels of local authority parking enforcement are too high?

73% said yes

18% said they were about right

9% said no


Is town centre prosperity hampered by inadequate parking provision?

70% said Yes, prosperity is hampered by inadequate parking [sic]


Are hospital parking charges a tax on the sick?

The overwhelming majority of 86% say these charges are a tax on the sick, 12% disagreed and 2% are unsure.

Tell us again about your research, we're all ears.

[scalyback]

"How should hospital parking be funded?
The results of this poll were extremely close.  We offered three options; The NHS Trust, the car park user or central government (tax).  33% voted for the NHS Trust, 62% voted for the car park user and 60% voted for central government tax.  A very interesting result and worth discussing to find an equitable and cost effective solution."

That comes to 155%. Me thinks there might be some figure fiddling going on? As said above, "A very interesting result and worth discussing..."

[The Bald Eagle]

That comes to 155%.

 

[DastardlyDick]

And then there is this one, which doesn't even answer the question posed:-

Did your High Street have free parking this christmas? (a Yes/No question if ever I saw one!)

60% said that it did influence where they shopped

21% said they spent more money on the High Street

19% said they pent more time on the High Street