Car Park Charges Changes
A package of changes to car parking charges will move the county a step closer to ironing out inequalities which motorists face every time they use a county pay and display car park.
Herefordshire Council is committed to a fair and equitable parking charge regime which covers the whole of the County.
Its Car Parking Strategy, which has cross-party support and was consulted on widely, commits the authority to an annual review of car parking with a view to creating a unified system of charges right across Herefordshire.
This review has just taken place and Cllr Mike Wilson, Cabinet Member (Highways and Transportation), has now signed off the package of changes which will also support the county’s Community Transport initiative, pay for the replacement of ageing pay and display equipment and allow the continued free Christmas parking in Ross-on-Wye and Hereford.
“The problem we face is the disparity between charges in our various market towns. We inherited different regulations from five different authorities back in 1998,” said Cllr Wilson.
“The last time the charges were changed was in 2002 – January 2003 in Leominster. This year we’ve simply continued this process of striving for fair county-wide parking charges as laid out in our strategy,” he added.
“I can understand those motorists who are unhappy with the changes, but the changes have been carefully thought out and will ultimately benefit our local communities.”
Broadly, changes to the car parking charges in Hereford and the market towns are:
ROSS
The previous minimum charge of 50p for 2 hours, in the inner band car parks, will be reduced to 30p but for one hour, the 2 and 3 hours rates will be increased by 10p and the 4hours and above rates remain unchanged.
The outer band car parks have been increased by 10p or 20p per day for cars and 50p for coaches whilst Wilton Road remains unchanged.
HEREFORD
The changes are more complex, but in order to achieve a turnover within the car parks that are most popular, the charges have been increased by 30p for the first hour, a new charge of 50p for half an hour will be introduced along with a reduced maximum stay of 4 hours.
The middle band car park increases vary between 5,10 and 20p per hour. The long stay outer band have either increased by 10p per day or remained the same.
LEDBURY
The increases are 10p only on each rate, (i.e. 1 hour increases from 20p to 30p but 3 hours also only increases from 70p to 80p) and there is no increase for over 3 hrs.
Local Members are still determining the need for charges on the Lawnside car park in order to achieve turnover.
LEOMINSTER
The imposition of charges on the Central area car park has had no detrimental effect on its use, therefore as required by the Strategy, consideration has been given to extending the charges to the Etnam St car park.
This car park is invariably full and would benefit tourists and short-term shoppers alike if turnover were improved. Therefore charges will be introduced on the Etnam Street car park at the same rate as the Central Area car park.
KINGTON
Kington is currently the only town with no car parking charges. It is inequitable that the town should continue to be totally subsidised by the rest of the County.
No car park can actually be considered free as they all require maintenance and refurbishment to operate, therefore charges will be introduced on Mill Street car park on the basis that it is the most obvious to the tourist being next to the Tourist Information Centre, the Town Museum and the Market Hall.
The remaining "hidden" car parks, that are known to residents, will remain uncharged for their use.
The changes, which are due to come into effect in January 2004, will mean that in each of the northern market towns (Bromyard, Ledbury, Kington and Leominster), between 56% to 69% of car parking spaces will be free (compared to 29% to 100% at the moment).
Hereford City and Ross-on-Wye, while not having any general free car parking, benefit from free festive parking in the run up to Christmas.
“However, it would be timely to remind motorists that there is no such thing as free car parking as all car parks need to be administered and maintained – which costs money,” added Cllr Wilson.
The procedure now is that Cllr Wilson’s package of changes could be scrutinised by fellow Councillors – they have three working days in which to “call in” the decision.
If this happens, the authority’s Environment Scrutiny Committee will consider the changes. The Committee can then make recommendations, which Cllr Wilson or Cabinet will consider.