Motorists in Nantwich and Crewe could face higher car park fees from March under Cheshire East Council plans.
Charges could rise by 10p on all council-owned car parks across each tariff, and resident parking permits could also go up.
That could see rates on car park at Nantwich Civic Centre, Snow Hill and Love Lane in Nantwich rising.
The authority says it will consult on proposals to increase the charges across the borough from March 2019, but denies it is a “profit-making scheme”.
Its proposals to bolster income from parking includes:
● Increasing parking price on most Cheshire East Council-owned car parks by 10p across each tariff
● Increasing charges at car parks by railway stations
● Re-introducing parking fees on three car parks – Thomas Street in Crewe, Hibel Road in Macclesfield and Park Street in Congleton
● Increasing cost of resident parking permits
● Introducing an administration fee for the replacement of parking permits
● Introducing some car parks into the car park order meaning parking restrictions can be enforced where needed
Frank Jordan, Cheshire East’s executive director of place and acting deputy chief executive, said: “It is our responsibility to ensure our car parks are safe, secure and well maintained – and that there is a good turnaround of spaces for visitors and shoppers.
“The money that comes from car parks helps us to do this and ensures that our car parks fund themselves, rather than us having to use money intended for vital frontline services elsewhere.
“For Cheshire East Council, this is not a profit-making scheme.
“The revenue generated will help to ensure a quality of service that people expect when they come to one of our car parks.
“We strive to make parking as user friendly and supportive to our towns as possible.
“These proposals do not impact existing car park incentives such as, free after 3pm, leisure centre refunds or the town and parish council four free days allowance.
“While we would prefer to leave things as they are, we continue to be forced to make a range of tough and, at times, unpopular decisions.
“This is a sign of the pressure local authorities, like ours, face with reductions in funding from central government and increased demand for essential frontline services.
“We have been forced to make millions of pounds of savings year on year, while protecting essential and much-needed frontline services, including those to the most vulnerable in our communities.”
The proposal to increase parking charges was included in the council’s full budget report 2018/19 and agreed at a meeting of full council in February 2018.
Further details about the proposals, and information on how to make a representation, can be found in the statutory notices sections in local papers, displayed in affected car parks and on the council’s website www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/parkingcharges
Easy answer, shop in town centres where parking is free, then the council will get the message.
Surely if CEC want more money from car parking the first thing they should do is introduce charges in Sandbach, Alsager and Middlewich, all of which currently have free car parking. Not expect us to fork out even more.
Let’s have a genuine reason for this rise, please! 10p on a 60p rate is an increase of more than 16%; much higher than could be justified by inflation. As I recall, the last time this was assessed it was found that the car parks more than paid for themselves.
And talking of ‘quality of service’ – this morning 3 out of 4 ticket machines were out of order at Snow Hill in Nantwich.
Short sighted idea considering less footfall in the town, another kick to town centre shop owners