Dorking needs to encourage shoppers to visit the town - to do that we need to make it easy for them to stop and shop.  

We believe that FREE half hour parking in municipal car parks will encourage the pop and shoppers who are not lucky enough to get into the few free 1hr parking areas within the town, but who need to pause and purchase something.

The town’s older people need to get their prescriptions, younger people need to get to the bank, and people driving through the town might want to stop for a pint of milk. Currently most will be “risking” a ticket rather than pay, so little loss to the Council if they give the time for free.

The town is also suffering from low footfall. This will encourage those unwilling to pay 60p for the privilege of parking to use the town. Half an hour FREE allows those people to pop and shop and see something else to buy then or later when they are undertaking that instant activity. By giving away a little the town will get a lot in return.

Lets make it easy to use Dorking.  Dorking needs everyone to come to spend their money here. FREE half hour parking in other towns are making positive impacts on the vitality of the area. Recently Drapersonline reported that independent traders had a hike in trade when their town's parking metres were out of service, and Kingston (following a trial) is  keeping ½ hour Free Parking as they found they lost surprisingly little parking revenue, yet the town is more vibrant and their retailers are taking money with this initiative in place.

Please support this petition for Free ½ Hr Stay Needed Today! To get FREE half hour parking to pop and shop in Dorking, once we have proved this works then lets try it the idea in Leatherhead and other places! 

The Dorking Chamber of Commerce request that Mole Valley District Council introduce a year long trial of a FREE half hour in the Council’s car parks. 

Introducing this measure will not only allow businesses to thrive, but  at the same time we believe such a trial will disprove the unrealistic predictions that introducing this concept will make car parking revenues seriously diminish.

Dorking needs half hour FREE parking.  It will creating a churn in a town with little parking,whilst allowing those who want to come in and stay longer the ability to pay for that option. It will allow more people to pause in our beautiful town. It can only be an advantage to a small market town full of independent traders such as Dorking.

Please support  FREE ½ Hour Stay Needed Today! and tell your friends to sign this petition.