The local authority offering free parking that’s been described as the most generous in London has announced it will now be permanent.
Drivers visiting Harrow will continue to benefit from one hour of free parking after the local authority confirmed the scheme will now remain in place permanently.
Harrow Council currently offers at least one hour of free parking in 13 council-run car parks across the borough, as well as in all on-street pay-and-display bays.
The initiative was first introduced in 2022, allowing visitors to park in on-street bays free of charge for up to an hour. The move was aimed at boosting footfall in local high streets and encouraging residents to shop locally.
In 2023 the scheme was extended to include council-owned car parks across the borough, with the exception of West House car park in Pinner, where the first 30 minutes remain free.
Councillors have now agreed to make the measure permanent after it was included in the council’s budget approved on 26 February. When the scheme was first introduced it was estimated to cost the council around £1m a year in lost parking revenue. However, the authority says the policy has helped increase activity in town centres.
During a Commons debate in December, Bob Blackman described the borough’s offer as “the most generous parking allowance anywhere in London”.
While some London boroughs, including Barnet Council, Southwark Council and Tower Hamlets Council, offer limited free parking in certain locations or time periods, Harrow’s scheme applies across both on-street spaces and most council car parks.
Council leader Paul Osborn said the initiative has made a noticeable difference for businesses.
“I am very proud of the one-hour free parking offer in Harrow – we are the only London borough that offers anything like that extent of free parking both in our car parks and our on-street spaces,” he said.
“We know from our residents’ survey that many people were aware of the one-hour free parking and said it encouraged them to shop locally. From speaking with trade groups, residents and businesses, I know it makes a big impact.”
Council figures show the free parking scheme has been used more than 10 million times since it was introduced. Data also indicates that usage of council-owned car parks has risen by 33 per cent, while on-street parking activity has increased by 11.1 per cent.
Overall parking activity has increased by 18.5 per cent, which the council says has contributed to higher footfall across the borough.
Under the scheme, drivers can access one hour of free parking once per day by activating a parking session through PayByPhone, a PayPoint location, or a pay-and-display machine where available.
The free parking offer applies at a number of council car parks including Queens House multi-storey and Greenhill Way in Harrow town centre, Chapel Lane and Love Lane in Pinner, Peel House multi-storey in Wealdstone, Cambridge Road in North Harrow and Brigade Close in South Harrow, among others.
