FREE parking on certain days could provide a crucial boost for the Kendal economy but traders' appeals have fallen on deaf ears at South Lakeland District Council, according to Kendal Retailers Forum.

Peter Boyd, KRF chairman and manager of the Elephant Yard shopping centre, said that the group had asked SLDC to provide free parking for a trial period on Saturdays in one Kendal car park in order to boost business.

Mr Boyd said: "SLDC are dragging their heels and saying no' because they say if they do it in Kendal they will have to do it in other places too."

But Mr Boyd argued that KRF's request to offer free parking on Saturdays in SLDC's own multi-storey car park at the bottom of Lowther Street could be run as an experiment.

"If it works and business improves it could then be extended to other areas," he said.

Simon Butterfield, a member of SLDC and Kendal Town Council, told the KRF meeting that SLDC was considering parking changes, including offering the first hour of parking free in all Kendal car parks to help boost business.

But he also but warned that the council depended on parking revenue to improve car parking and the more free parking it allowed, the longer the area would have to wait for new parking facilities.

"If we make it free we will never have the funds to build new car parks," said Coun Butterfield.

Mr Boyd said that argument held no water because SLDC had not built any new car parks in years.

In spite of SLDC's negative response so far, Mr Boyd said he was still in talks with the council: "Watch this space," he said.

Bob Barker, SLDC cabinet portfolio holder for transport, said: "We are giving the request due consideration as part of our wider look at parking in Kendal. We would like to find ways of freeing up more parking places for shoppers in the town."

The retail forum also agreed to explore the possibility of using schools grounds to provide free parking for shoppers at the weekends and is urging as many stores as possible to open on Sundays to give the town a reputation as a destination for Sunday shopping.