A YEAR-LONG experiment in car parking charging in Woodley has been hailed a success by Wokingham Borough Council – so it is to be made permanent.
Last Thursday night, a meeting of Wokingham Borough Council’s Executive heard that the 10p per hour increase in car park charges in Woodley’s town centre car parks was financially viable.
As a result, the Executive voted to maintain the system, which sees charges during the day and free parking during the evenings and on Sundays.
The trial was suggested last year by Woodley Town Council and the Woodley Town Centre Management Initiative (WTCMI) an alternative to evening/overnight and weekend increases being introduced at council-run car parks in the rest of the borough.
Data gathered by the council suggested that while income in other borough car parks had rised by just over 11%, the income from Woodley’s car parks had increased by 16%.
“The WTCMI was concerned that evening/ overnight and weekend charges would not
be the best fit for Woodley town centre because there isn’t an established vibrant nightlife,”
said Cllr Keith Baker, executive member for highways and transport.
“The trial has shown that it worked in Woodley, and evidence suggests that daytime town centre visitors and sales in Woodley haven’t been affected.
“These are challenging times for local government.
“We have to strike a delicate balance between ensuring we have the resources to maintain our car parks safely, and to standard, while also reflecting the local economies surrounding them.”
