DRIVERS WILL WALK HALF A MILE TO AVOID PARKING CHARGES
Viewsbank members recently gave their views on the subject of parking and parking costs. Here’s the press release that will be going public in the next 48 hours. Thought you might like to see the results. Regards, Rob.
- Parking charges at hospitals are biggest issue for drivers
- One in three admit to not paying in pay and display car parks
Motorists are voting with their feet over parking charges with the average driver willing to walk around half a mile rather than pay a fee, new findings1 from independent market research firm Viewsbank shows.
The nationwide study among motorists shows rising resentment over parking fees across the country with just 11% of motorists saying they would rather pay a fee than walk. On average drivers are willing to walk up to half a mile and over a fifth of motorists are willing to walk a mile or more rather than pay up.
The study found 32% of motorists admit to having gambled on parking in a pay and display site without paying – and possibly as a result two-thirds (66%) say they have had one parking fine in the past three years.
Recent research from the RAC Foundation found councils in England made a profit of £565 million in 2011/12 from on and off street parking including fines – and that is likely to have increased in subsequent years.
The Viewsbank research shows parking fees at hospitals cause the most resentment – 86% of drivers feel aggrieved at having to pay in hospital car parks compared with just 37% who are unhappy about charges at airports and 47% who don’t like paying to park at railway stations.
However the pressure on parking spaces is highlighted by the fact that 18% of motorists find it difficult to find space for their car near their own homes.
David Black of Viewsbank commented: “There is a balance to be struck between cutting traffic congestion and costs for motorists but for many the balance is tilted too far against drivers.
“People are literally voting with their feet and taking direct action to avoid paying a fee with the average motorist willing to walk half a mile. There clearly is a problem with parking with many people struggling to find a space near their home.”
The research shows 76% of motorists say car parking charges deter them from shopping in their local town centre and 89% say free parking would encourage them back into high streets rather than out of town shopping malls.
And intriguingly drivers claim to be honest about damaging other cars in car parks while suffering the exact opposite from other motorists.
Nearly half (49%) of all motorists claim their car has been damaged in a public car park at some point with just 11% saying the person who caused the damage left a note admitting it and leaving contact details.
However just 8% of motorists admit to having damaged another car in a car park – and 67% say they left their contact details.
