A petition signed by more 2,000 people claims local businesses in Harrow are ‘starved for customers’ since free parking hours in some town centre car parks were removed.

Harrow Council claims the measures, which were rolled out earlier this year, are necessary to run and maintain the car parks in Greenhill Way and Lyon Road.

The Labour opposition group started a petition following the introduction of the charges, which has since been signed by more than 2,370 residents and local businesses. It suggests the changes will have a detrimental impact on the night time economy in the area.

Speaking at a recent full council meeting (October 23), owner of Trinity Bar on Station Road and representative of the night time economy in Harrow, Chris Perdue, told councillors that the free parking during the evening and weekend provided ‘a real boost’ to the local community.

Mr Perdue said: “The changes will have a detrimental impact on local businesses, shoppers, and community organisations. It is directly at odds with the council’s priority to support local businesses.”

He added claims that "too many businesses have already been forced to wind up", with the changes particularly affecting independent businesses that rely on free parking at certain times and "discouraging residents" from visiting the town centres.

The petition specifically opposes the removal of evening free parking after 6.30pm in Greenhill Way and Davy House (Lyon Road) car parks in Harrow town centre, as well as the removal of free evening parking from Monday to Saturday and all day on Sundays at Palmerston Road Car Park in Wealdstone town centre.

Mr Perdue suggests that it is unacceptable for the council to ignore the voices of shopkeepers, restaurants, cafés – as well as community run and faith facilities, which are also impacted.

Harrow Labour group leader Cllr David Perry said he was disappointed by the removal of free parking and accused the Conservative leadership of "putting residents last".

But Cllr David Ashton, who is responsible for finance and highways, called it a "cynical attempt" by the Labour group to "score political points". He suggested the petition is "like the holy Roman Empire – it’s not holy, it’s not Roman, and it’s not an empire".

The fee changes were formally agreed back in January as part of the annual fees and charges review. Cllr Aston said no objections were raised over the changes at the review meeting, accusing the opposition of putting forward a ‘misleading petition’. The price changes have already been implemented and any further changes would need to wait for the January 2025 review to be considered, according to Cllr Ashton.

In defence of the fee changes, Harrow Council leader Cllr Paul Osborn pointed to the administration’s introduction of one-hour free parking across the borough, which he claimed is making a ‘massive difference’ to local businesses. He added: “We have to have the budget to run and maintain our car parks.

"We have to have the parking charges in the evenings.”