CAR park ticket prices in Powys are expensive compared to neighbouring local authorities a councillor has said.
At a meeting of Powys County Council’s Economy, Residents and Communities scrutiny committee on Thursday, June 12, councillors received a long awaited “final” report on the car parking review which has produced new recommendations.
Car parking fees were increased as part of the 2023/2024 budget by the Liberal Democrat/Labour/Green administration which came into force in April 2023.
But the move has been sternly opposed ever since which led to a working group being set up in the autumn of 2023 to review the fees as well as other car parking arrangements.
Opposition councillors have wanted to reduce the fees in a bid to get people to start using car parks again so that they visit businesses and shop in the town centres and in doing so providing a much needed boost the economy across the county.
Cllr Corinna Kenyon-Wade (Liberal Democrat) who represents Knighton with Beguildy said: “Living on the English border as I do with Herefordshire and Shropshire quite close by, the perception I have is that it’s cheaper to park in both those two areas.
“I was in Leominster last week it cost £1.20 in the town centre, £1 per hour on the outskirts in a longer stay car park.
“The story is the same in Ludlow.
“It feels slightly expensive and the comparison in the report is Ceredigion, which is a touristy area.”
Chief officer for place, Matt Perry said: “We have looked at lots of other authorities and what we found is that they have different tiers and structures of tariffs.
“One of the things from the workshops is that equity across Powys was wanted.”
Cabinet member for highways, transport, and recycling Cllr Jackie Charlton (Liberal Democrat) told councillors that other councils were also now hiking up their car parking charges.
“They might feel slightly dearer in some places, but you will start to see those prices increase elsewhere,” said Cllr Charlton.
Recommendations from the committee will be added to the report which is expected to go before the Cabinet later this summer.
The recommended proposals for car parks are:
- Reintroduce the one-hour parking tariff to all long stay car parks.
- Set tariffs for up to one hour parking to £1.50,
- Up to two hours parking to £2.50.
- Up to four hours parking to £3.50
- All-day parking to cost £5.
A new single car park permit to be used at one specified car park only at a cost of £280 a year, £155 for six months, £90 for three months and £30 for one month would also be introduced.
