, Lobbying and parking The BPA in government We often speak about the BPA lobbying government and representing your views in political circles but what does that actually mean? Glenn Dives, BPA corporate and public affairs officer, explains We are engaging with ministers and government departments to raise other issues that are important to you benefits for the public. We have continued to meet ministers and officials in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, to discuss what the mandated Code of Practice needs to include to achieve that outcome. Beyond the Parking Act Lobbying means to influence (a legislator) on an issue. According to the BBC, the word lobbying derives from the lobbies or hallways of parliament where MPs and peers gather before and after debates.* Traditionally, people wishing to persuade them to vote in a particular way would wait in these lobbies. Today, lobbying usually doesnt involve waiting in a hallway to see someone. It consists of writing letters and emails, having face-toface meetings, producing briefing documents, responding to consultations, and attending events. It is a time-consuming and sometimes costly process of relationship building and persuasion. It is not always successful, but it can have profound benefits for ordinary people when it is done right. As a professional lobbyist, that is what I want to see. It is this desire that motivates the BPAs lobbying; we want to make improvements by highlighting problems and suggesting solutions. For example, a noticeable success this year was our work in supporting the Parking (Code of Practice) Bill (now an Act) through parliament. We worked hard to explain to parliamentarians and officials the benefit of supporting the bill and the positive Lobbying is a timeconsuming and sometimes costly process of relationship building and persuasion. It is not always successful, but it can have profound benefits for ordinary people when it is done right We are engaging with ministers and government departments to raise other issues that are important to you, our members. For example, we are working closely with the Department for Transport on the TRO Discovery Project, highlighting the importance of developing a system for ensuring the proper management of our streets for the future. We continue to communicate our position on hospital parking charges, which is that free-parking rhetoric may grab shortterm headlines, but it is not the answer to increased demand. This needs a long-term solution. Then there is our day-to-day work, responding to consultations from across government departments on subjects including electric vehicles, the Highway Code, the Blue Badge scheme, and road safety. This a just small insight into our lobbying work. There is a lot happening in our sector, which is why it is such an exciting one to represent to politicians, but there is always more we can do. We would be delighted to hear your thoughts and incorporate them into our work. If you have any thoughts on issues across the sector, please contact us at consultations@britishparking.co.uk * news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/82529.stm britishparking.co.uk 45 12:05 PN Oct19 pp44-45 Political Perspective.indd 45 23/09/2019 14:08