Free parking scheme in Harrow to benefit local businesses: Council

The decision to offer one-hour free parking in Harrow is expected to cost the council £1 million in lost revenue next year, but the leadership thinks the benefits for local businesses make it worth it.

Since the start of January, residents can park for free for 60 minutes in all council car parks, except for West House car park in Pinner as it is operated by a museum and the leisure centre which will continue to offer three hours free. It comes after 1-hour free street parking was introduced in August 2022.

At the recent Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday (January 10), Harrow Council’s leader, Cllr Paul Osborn, said that the free parking “will be built into next year’s budget” and he is expecting to see around a 37 per cent loss in revenue for both on-street and off-street parking.

Cllr Osborn said: “We are estimating that the [free] on-street parking will reduce the income from that service by £450,000 […] and we are going to assume that for the off-street parking as well going forward, which will mean a £550,000 reduction in income”.

He added: “But we think the benefits of doing that, in terms of businesses in Harrow, are worth it. We think that the extra footfall that could give our district centres and town centre is really important, the support that gives local businesses in what is going to be a very difficult time over the next few months.”

The free on-street parking sessions have been well used by residents so far, with around half a million having been taken up since August, according to the council. Cllr Osborn said: “Anecdotally, what I hear from businesses all across the borough is they are very grateful for it, it has helped them, and […] it’s brought people in”.

He added: “Also, people stay in for longer. […] So they don’t just go to one shop and then rush back to their car, they go to two or three shops, or maybe sit and have some coffee.”

In a drive to make efficiency savings, pay and display machines will be scrapped permanently from January 30. Instead, drivers will have three options to pay – either via PayByPhone app, the PayByPhone call or text service, or by paying in cash at a nearby PayPoint convenience store.

Where there isn’t a participating store within a five-minute walk, parking will either be made free, or a temporary pay and display machine taking card payments will be made available.

Part of the Cashlite scheme, it is designed to encourage residents to use cashless transactions to pay for services. A council statement said: “Car parking is one of the areas affected, with [the] suspension of traditional pay and display from late January. One-hour-free parking will be introduced across all council car parking spaces at the same time.

“West House car park, which is owned by the Heath Robinson Museum will remain outside our discounted parking scheme and will continue to offer the first 30 minutes free. The leisure centre car park will continue to offer up to three hours free parking.”