Tameside Council honoured with prestigious business award for free parking initiative

Tameside Council has been recognised with a rare and prestigious award for its innovative move to boost local town centres through the introduction of free parking.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) presented its coveted Business Buddy Award to Cllr Stephen Homer, Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Towns, Transport and Connectivity, at a special ceremony held at Tameside One on September 3rd.

The accolade follows the Council’s launch of a two-hour free parking scheme at all council-run town centre car parks, which began in June. The initiative is already delivering promising results, with footfall reportedly rising by over a third—even during the typically quiet summer holiday period.

The FSB's Business Buddy Award is reserved for individuals, organisations, or public bodies that have gone above and beyond in supporting the small business community. The award has not been given out since 2018, making Tameside’s recognition all the more notable.

Robert Downes, FSB Development Manager for Greater Manchester, praised the council’s bold move: "We very rarely issue our Business Buddy Award, but this was a no-brainer when we heard what Tameside Council were doing for their high street businesses right across the borough. This will  be a lifeline for many of them.

"At a time when our high streets are really struggling, it's fantastic to see a Greater Manchester council stepping up and doing exactly what's needed for small businesses. Early indications are the free parking offer has seen footfall rise by over a third since it was introduced, and more people in town centres means more money ringing through the tills."

He added: "Amazing work Tameside Council - now which other town hall in Greater Manchester wants to go next?"

Accepting the award, Cllr Stephen Homer said he was delighted that the scheme had been so positively received: "It's fantastic to receive this independent recognition for the support our free parking is giving to Tameside businesses and town centres. We have listened to what businesses - and residents - have told us they need to support them, and we've acted.

"Our parking offer is among the very cheapest in Greater Manchester, making Tameside a very competitive place to visit, shop and do business. We're seeing our car park usage continuing to increase week on week and traders are telling us they are busier, which is exactly what we wanted."

Cllr Homer acknowledged that the work to support local town centres is ongoing but described the scheme as a “huge step in the right direction” as part of the council’s wider regeneration plans.