The cost of parking in Wokingham town centre, and elsewhere in the borough, is set to rise by more than 7%.
The increases were discussed during a recent meeting of the council’s ruling executive.
A spokesperson for Wokingham Borough Council told Wokingham Today: “We’re in the process of confirming details, but we expect any increase would start later this summer.”
Charges are set to increase by 10p for the one- and two-hour bands, with other charges remaining the same.
In Wokingham town centre, this will mean it will cost £1.40 to park for one hour and £2.60 for two hours. That’s a rise of 7.69% and 4% respectively.
Elsewhere in the borough, one-hour will cost £1.10 and two-hours will cost £2.10.
In June 2023, Wokingham Borough Council introduced a raft of changes to off-street parking, which included an extension of the hours and days when parking charges are in force.
Prior to that, the cost to park for an hour in a town centre car park was 80p, and £1.20 for two hours.
Those increases were the first since 2018, but that means within a year the cost of parking for one hour in Wokingham town centre will have risen by 75%.
Previously Cllr Paul Fishwick, executive member for active travel, transport and highways, justified the increases, saying: “In our current financial position, we have had to make tough choices, and raising car park charges is one of them.
“We are not immune to the cost of living crisis, and, like residents, are having to make difficult choices to make sure we can keep providing our most essential services.”
Shoppers and retailers reacted with anger at those changes, with many suggesting the council was ‘killing’ the town.
Although the planned increases this time are relatively small, several businesses have told Wokingham Today they fear for the future of the town, and this latest increase is another ‘nail in the coffin’ for retailers.
Cllr Charles Margetts, Conservative councillor for Finchampstead North and his party’s spokesperson for highways and transport, said: “This increase in charges, following the doubling of most charges last year, shows a continued direction of travel from the Liberal Democrat-led council.
“These charges are bad for business and bad for residents.
“It is part of a package of measures in the budget designed to make car drivers pay a lot more, despite the pleas of local businesses that the doubling of car parking charges is really hurting turnover and footfall.
“The increase in car parking charges will bring in £65,000 of additional income to the council.
“In addition, there are plans in the budget for on-street parking charges which will bring in £342,000 of extra revenue.
“There is also the increased parking charges at Dinton Pastures and California Country Park, bringing in another £80,000 of revenue, and the introduction of parking charges at the aviation museum in Woodley that will bring in £40,000 of revenue.
“The motorist is being fleeced for an additional £500,000 of stealth taxes to fund Wokingham Borough Council’s waste.
“It needs to put its own house in order before increasing charges to residents.
“We will keep pressing Wokingham Borough Council to reduce waste before it keeps coming back to the residents with more stealth taxes.
“Sadly, I think the Liberal Democrats believe it is easier to endlessly tax the car driver more and damage local business, rather than forcing through change to make the council spend taxpayers money more efficiently.”
