WOKINGHAM Borough Council has defended its plans to more than double parking charges and increase the charging period, saying it was the right thing to do and while it wouldn’t be popular the financial pressures that local authorities currently face mean they have to make difficult choices.
At a meeting of Thursday’s ruling executive committee, councillors will be asked to vote on proposals that would see fees for borough-run car parks from 6am to 10pm seven days a week. At the moment, it is free to park on Sundays and after 6pm the rest of the week.
Fees would rise, with an hour going from 80p to £1.30, while an annual season ticket would rise from £900.68 a year to £2,026.
However, overnight season tickets for residents, which are currently £292, would be free.
For vehicles in the car parks after 10pm, police have requested that motorists display a free vend ticket on their dashboards.
The council’s argument is they need to make up an £800,000 shortfall in parking revenue, caused in part by changing habits due to the covid-19 pandemic. Spiralling inflation is also having an impact on council budgets.
Last week, Cllr Clive Jones, leader of the council, said: “All our services are under pressure due to rising costs, which is making us look very hard at everything we do to see if we can make any savings and whether we could raise more revenue.
“We need to do this to ensure we have enough to protect the most vulnerable in our community.”
READ MORE: Plans to more than double parking charges in Wokingham unveiled
The report to be considered at the meeting, to be held at Shute End on Thursday, September 29, adds that, even with the proposed increases, parking costs will remain at the “lower end” compared with other local authorities
It is estimated by officers that the earliest implementation date would be January 2023.
Cllr Paul Fishwick, executive member for active travel, transport and highways, defended the plans.
“As a local authority, our number one priority is to protect the most vulnerable,” he told Wokingham.Today.
“To do that, in a time of immense financial pressures, we need to look at all of our spending to ensure every penny is well-spent and then turn to areas where we can generate revenue to make up for the shortfall caused by rampant inflation and spiralling energy costs.
“The cost of living crisis is affecting all of us, and the council is not immune.”
He said as part of this, the council had reviewed car parking charges, and they had not seen an increase for four years.
“They are some of the lowest in the area and in the region,” Cllr Fishwick explained.
“Raising them to bring them in line with our neighbouring authorities is the right thing to do – to allow us to use the income generated from car parking charges to put it towards keeping our highways services going.
“We know this won’t be popular – increasing charges never are. But we face unprecedented financial pressures and are having to make some very difficult decisions.”
The new charges at a glance
Charges would increase as follows – up to one hour, from 80p to £1.30; up to two hours, from £1.20 to £2.50; up to four hours, from £2 to £4.50; up to six hours, from £3 to £6.50; over six hours, from £4 to £9. Market traders would pay £6.50 for an extended day at Cockpit Path car park instead of £4.
Season tickets would be charged as follows – one month, from £82.23 to £168.50; three months, from £240.35 to £506.50; six months, from £450.34 to £1,013; 12 months, from £900.68 to £2,026. An overnight 12-month season ticket, previously £292, would be free of charge.
