Cllr. Stephanos Ioannou is a councillor on Enfield Council where he is Chairman of the Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Panel.
Every thriving community needs a thriving high street. Our shops, cafés, pharmacies and independent businesses provide employment, essential services and the everyday encounters that bring neighbourhoods together. Supporting them should be a priority for any council—and in Enfield, our new Conservative administration is putting that commitment into action.
In September, the Conservative Cabinet unanimously approved proposals to take forward 30 minutes of free parking per vehicle, per day, across eligible on-street paid parking bays and council-operated pay-to-park car parks. It is a practical step towards making shopping locally easier and more affordable.
After sixteen years of Labour, residents are entitled to ask why this borough-wide offer was not brought forward sooner. In just four months, our Conservative administration has advanced a proposal that directly addresses the cost of visiting local shops. Our traders deserve that urgency, and our residents deserve that support.
The future of our high streets is now a major national debate. How do we support independent businesses, bring customers back into town centres and help local shops compete in a changing economy? Recent parliamentary questions and the forthcoming national High Streets Strategy demonstrate how firmly these issues are on the national agenda. Here in Enfield, we are taking practical action locally.
For consumers, the saving is clear. Enfield Council currently lists its standard on-street charge for 30 minutes as £1.70. Under these proposals, an eligible short visit would come without that parking charge. Whether collecting a prescription, buying bread or picking up a parcel, residents would have another reason to choose their local high street.
For business owners, those visits represent opportunities to grow their custom. Someone stopping at the pharmacy might also visit the bakery. A customer collecting an order might buy a coffee next door. Making short visits more affordable could encourage repeat shopping and help businesses build the regular customer base they need.
That matters in a tough trading environment. Independent businesses face competition from online retailers while customers carefully manage their household budgets. Councils should use the tools available to them to make local shopping more attractive.
The council’s own figures show the economic importance of our town centres. Enfield Town alone accounts for seven per cent of the borough’s jobs and eight per cent of its businesses. Across London, the GLA’s 2017 High Streets for All report found that 47 per cent of businesses outside Central London were on high streets, with 1.45 million people working on or within 200 metres of one. Supporting these places means supporting livelihoods and communities.
There is also evidence for addressing parking costs. The GLA’s 2020 high-street research, which included Cockfosters shopping parades, identified parking cost and availability among the barriers to visiting. Our proposal tackles one of those barriers directly.
As ward representatives, we have an obligation to listen to traders and residents and make the environment easier for both. That means understanding the pressures business owners face, improving access to local services and looking for practical ways to reduce the cost of shopping.
These are Conservative values in action: backing enterprise, rewarding hard work, respecting household budgets and giving people greater freedom to spend their money locally. For us, support for local shopping is a lasting commitment. Residents should be able to count on Conservatives to champion the shopkeepers, family businesses and entrepreneurs who keep our high streets alive.
Thirty minutes of free parking is just the start of the broader programme we intend to pursue. Our ambition is to back local businesses, promote our town centres and explore further ways to make shopping locally more affordable. We want a council that helps enterprise flourish and gives residents more reasons to spend on their doorstep.
Other councils across London should take note. They should examine how their own parking policies affect short visits and consider whether a similar offer could benefit their traders and residents. Enfield’s approach deserves attention—and its results should be measured through customer visits, business feedback and local spending.
Consultation is now underway. The proposed offer would apply once per vehicle per day, Monday to Sunday in eligible on-street bays and Monday to Saturday in council-operated paid car parks. Subject to consultation and a final decision, implementation is anticipated in late 2026.
Our message is clear: shop locally, support Enfield’s businesses and help our town centres thrive. This Conservative administration is determined to make that choice easier.