A study by national parking association Parking Australia has found car park squatters – who use private spaces intended for genuine customers – are potentially putting retailers at risk of going out of business.
According to Parking Australia, 90 per cent of surveyed retailers that provide parking agree that some motorists are using the facilities for reasons other than doing business, with 83 per cent believing this has a financial impact, and one-third estimating they lose somewhere between 11 and 20 per cent in revenue as a result of squatters taking spaces away from potential customers.
“Car park squatters are having a significant negative impact on our retailers,” Parking Australia CEO Lorraine Duffy said. “If customers can’t get access to parking facilities due to a small number of users abusing the system, not only will it cost retailers in lost revenue, but it will also impact our roads, as people circle for a car park and increase congestion.
“Many retailers turn to private parking operators to help manage and enforce parking restrictions to prevent car park squatters and provide a positive parking experience for customers, but, it’s clear more needs to be done to ensure parking restrictions are clearly visible and adhered to, in order to address this issue.”
In response to the issue, an Accredited Operator Scheme (AOS) has been established under Parking Australia, in a bid to better regulate private parking facilities and deter rogue parkers. The new scheme is aimed at providing greater transparency around parking restrictions, through clear signage, consistent branding and terms of entry.
Parking operators nationwide, including Wilson Parking, Secure Parking, Care Park and Ace Parking, have already adopted the AOS.