Businesses back calls for paid parking scheme

Natalia Silvester said paid parking was "standard practice around Europe"

A Guernsey business owner is among those backing calls to introduce paid parking in town.

Natalia Silvester, who is behind businesses including Crepe Maison and Loveshack, said charged parking was "standard practice around Europe" and would "give the States another revenue stream".

She said it would also "encourage active travel".

In 2023, the States voted to investigate motoring taxes, including paid parking, as ways of raising more money.

In its latest newsletter, the Guernsey Retail Group said the idea of a pay-per-hour scheme was discussed at its latest meeting

All public parking in Guernsey is free with most on-street parking and car parks requiring drivers to use a parking clock at the time of arrival.

In its latest newsletter, which was shared with the BBC, the Guernsey Retail Group said it hoped to discuss the issue with the island’s Traffic and Highways Committee.

It followed a meeting with members, where some felt parking should be “charged from the first hour” to free up spaces for shoppers currently occupied by commuters.

'Kill town'

Paul Dodd, manager of Soundtrack, said: “They need to increase the amount of parking and then possibly you could do paid parking for the customers and people working in town.

“At the moment they keep taking parking away, which is going to eventually drive customers out of town and kill town.”

Michael Todd, Specsavers St Peter Port store director, said: “The challenge will be for our staff coming in from different parts of the island.

"The costs of parking, will just make the current cost of living scenario even more challenging for our colleagues."