Plans to charge Wokingham borough residents to park overnight have been unveiled by the Council.
A consultation was launched earlier this week to introduce a £1 fee to park overnight, at weekends and bank holidays in all borough car parks, bringing an end to years of free parking.
The plans, if approved, mean that visitors to big events such as the Woodley Winter Extravangza and the Wokingham May Fayre will be stung by the car parking charge, which had previously been free.
And there are also plans being made to convert Shute End into a paid-for car park on Saturdays – currently the Council allow people to park for free while shopping. Charges will be from 70p for an hour, up to £4 for 10 hours.
Cllr John Kaiser, executive member for planning and highways, revealed the thinking behind the changes.
He said: “We understand people are going to get upset about this, but compared to other nearby councils we’ve hung on as long as possible before introducing overnight charges. But we simply cannot afford to run free car parks in this current climate.
“If they are to survive our car parks must become more self-sufficient, and these new charges have been set with best value for local people very much in mind.”
The consultation runs until February 5.
For more details, or to comment, log on to www.wokingham.gov.uk/consultations
What do you think? A good idea or not? Have your say in our comments below.
The affected car parks
- Cockpit Path
- Easthampstead Road East
- Easthampstead Road West
- Crockhamwell Road
- Headley Road
- Denmark Street
- School Lane, Wargrave
- Station Road, Earley
- Lytham Road East
- Lytham Road West
- Polehampton Close East, Twyford
- Polehampton Close East, West
- Shute End Council Offices
- The Paddocks
- Carnival Pool
- The Paddocks
- Rose Street
- Winnersh Triangle
