Retailers frustrated over car parking price hike

SHOPKEEPERS in a Yorkshire town yesterday said they were “disappointed and frustrated” after it emerged they had not been consulted over an inflation-busting increase in parking charges to be imposed by council chiefs.

It is hoped that the hike in charges will bring in an extra £100,000 a year for cash-strapped Barnsley Council, which is currently examining every service it provides in a bid to meet Government-imposed spending cuts.

Yesterday, the authority’s ruling cabinet approved the increase, which will be introduced from April, but last night, town centre traders said they were surprised the council had not asked for their input on the scheme.

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Robert Teal, who runs shops in Barnsley and is chairman of the town’s Retail Voice committee which speaks for traders, said he could not comment on the detail of the increase, mainly because of the lack of consultation.

He added: “We are surprised that council leaders didn’t ask for our opinions on this before voting it through and didn’t give us any detail or warning of what they were planning to do with car parking charges.

“Any changes they make could have a major impact on our businesses and we feel that would have been able to make useful suggestions on the best way forward, if only we had been asked to do so.”

The changes are not straightforward. Some car parks will be subject to the 10 per cent rise, while on-street parking fees will go
 up by around 15 per cent and some car parks will be made cheaper.

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Council chiefs said they would be lowering charges at unpopular locations because they accepted that some drivers might struggle to afford the new costs in the town centre car parks closest to the shops.

The sites involved, at Burleigh Street East, Burleigh Street West and Joseph Street had been popular with the council’s own workers, who now park elsewhere after the opening of new authority offices at Gateway Plaza.

The council also accepts increasing parking charges will lead some drivers who currently pay to move onto residential streets and claim lowering charges at unpopular sites is seen as a method of combating that problem.

A report examined by the cabinet yesterday said: “Increases in car parking charges, whilst modest, will inevitably have an impact on drivers and will cause some to migrate from paid car parking into residential streets.”

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On-street parking will rise from 60p to 70p for 30 minutes, while two hours off-street parking will go from £1.40 to £1.60. Those increases are in the region of 15 per cent, ahead of inflation at 2.7 per cent.

The cheaper car parks will cost 70p for two hours after the charges are revised. The report states the two-tier charging system will “mitigate the effect of the general increase in charges for those who might struggle to afford the increase and reduce street parking in the locality”.

After the charges are introduced, a season ticket giving five days a week access to parking will cost £770. Council staff car parking discs will go up from £350 to £385.

The council recognises there is a risk to its finances from the potential of motorists who currently use more popular car parks switching to take advantage of the cheaper charges.Though it is believed the low rates may also draw in those who currently park on the streets, bringing in fresh revenue. Officials expect to monitor the situation and said they will have the option of amending charges in future if necessary.