Providing assistance to City retailers was firmly in the spotlight last night, as Commissioners approved a twelve-month trial of three-hour free parking at three prominent inner-city carparks.From 16 November, His Majesty’s, Pier Street and the Cultural Centre carparks will feature the three-hour free parking on weekends and public holidays.Chair Commissioner Andrew Hammond said the free parking trial has been a long time coming and is aimed at enticing more shoppers into the City.“We’re proud to bring this free parking trial to fruition, and assist our City retailers in time for the Christmas shopping season,” Chair Commissioner Hammond said.“The feedback from property owners and retailers during a series of retail forums hosted by the City indicated that parking was a barrier to the revitalisation of CBD retail."We’ve listened, and we’ve taken action.“We’re hoping this trial goes a long way to removing the barriers stopping shoppers coming to the City, and at least leveling the playing field for businesses in our retail core.Lease Equity Managing Director Jim Tsagalis said the trial will greatly assist CBD retailers at the peak trading time of the year.“The City of Perth's initiative to offer free parking in selected locations is a very generous and appropriate step in welcoming shoppers to the city,” Mr Tsagalis said.“It’s seldom a CBD council takes such a progressive and supportive initiative.“With most of the state’s flagship retail outlets located in the CBD, the customer is also a big winner.”Activate Perth Chair Di Bain said she supports the free parking trial, and hopes it leads to improved times ahead for Perth retailers.“Perth’s retail core has been advocating for changes to the current parking situation for a long time, and three hours of free parking on weekends and public holidays is a step in the right direction,” Ms Bain said.“We expect this trial to attract more shoppers into Perth’s malls and allow City retailers to compete with suburban shopping centres.”The approval of the trial follows an injection of an extra $1.4 million to extend the Christmas Retail Campaign into the new year, to attract more vibrancy and people to the heart of the city.The trial will also extend to selected on-street parking bays near the retail core on weekends and public holidays, complimenting the one-hour free parking trial in Claisebrook, East Perth and West Perth approved earlier this year.The launch of the three-hour free parking trial begins on 16 November.Issued by: Haydn Kruger, Media Advisor, 9461 1423, haydn.kruger@cityofperth.wa.gov.au