Parking charge increases anger of traders in busy market town

The local authority, which is on track to make 1.4m from parking for 2010-11, hopes to generate an extra 70,000 from the new charges but critics fear they could drive visitors out of the busy market town.

From February a one-hour stay in Skipton's High Street car park will rise from 1.10 to 1.20 and two hours will increase from 2.10 to 2.30. Parking for two to three hours will rise from 3.20 to 3.50 and three to four hours will increase to 4.50.

Charges at the council's four other Skipton car parks and Whitefriars and Ashfield car parks in Settle will also rise.

Skipton Chamber of Trade and Commerce president Julian Hotchkiss said: "They are putting 10p on an hour's parking. I think that's penalising particularly tourists and people who want to stay in the town longer. Parking in Skipton is already more expensive than in all our neighbouring towns. In some of the towns around here you can park for free.

"The major issue is that parking, on the whole, is already a mess in Skipton. It is a hot topic and it has always been an issue.

"Three to four hours is the average stay for someone to come in and look around the shops and have some lunch. That extra increase there is quite significant."

Mr Hotchkiss plans to meet Craven Council's head of parking, Shane Reffin, in January to discuss the measures.

He said the council needs more parking concessions for locals as well as measures to encourage tourists to spend more time in Skipton.

The cost of residents' and non residents' parking permits for 2011-12 will also rise.

Craven Council leader Chris Knowles-Fitton said: "We've tried to keep the increases in Craven as low as possible. Savage cuts in Government grants mean that money is so tight that this is one area where reluctantly we now have little choice but to use car parking fees to increase our income."

The council is introducing measures to encourage more people to use its car parks, particularly during off peak periods, some of which have been welcomed by Skipton Chamber of Trade and Commerce.

Charges in Settle's Greenfoot car park have been reduced and charges for Ingleton Community Centre will remain the same.

It is hoped overnight tickets will encourage drivers to park across two charging periods without the need to return to their vehicle to buy a new ticket before the start of the morning charging period.

The council hopes that this will encourage drivers parking for a night out to use the council's Pay & Display car parks rather than parking on the street.

New off-peak parking permits will be available for use on non-market days in Skipton, excluding Bunkers Hill and Waller Hill car parks. The permit, which costs 55 a year, will be valid for a maximum of four hours per day on the off-peak days and can also be used at other Pay & Display car parks across the district.

New weekly tickets will also be available to help people who find it difficult to buy an annual parking permit. This will also benefit holiday makers who will be able to buy a weekly parking ticket for 13, says the council.

The ticket will be valid for a maximum stay of 23 hours each day and can be used in Coach Street and Cavendish Street car parks in Skipton; Ashfield and Greenfoot car parks in Settle and the community centre car park in Ingleton.

The council is considering relocating coach parking from the High Street Car Park, which would create around 32 car parking spaces. Options include setting up drop off/ pick up points for coach parties.

It is also seeking to create six new spaces by moving signs, lamp columns and Pay & Display machines. It is also considering moving the bowling green at Craven Bowling Club.