One-hour car parking charges return

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

The car park charging saga in Powys has finally ended, as senior councillors agree recommendations that include reintroducing one-hour parking tickets to all long stay car parks.

At a meeting of Powys County Council’s Liberal Democrat/Labour cabinet on Tuesday, senior councillors received the long awaited “final” report on the car parking review.

The review has been a long and stormy affair with opposition councillors wanting 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.

They had accused the council of using car parks as a “cash cow” to help plug funding gaps in the highways, transport, and recycling department.

Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Recycling, Cllr Jackie Charlton (Liberal Democrat), said: “Hopefully we have something we can live with. This is a starting point, we focussed on the tariffs as it’s what members wanted, but we have other things in there as well.”

Powys Independents Joint Group Leader, Cllr Beverley Baynham, said: “I was part of the working group, and I am pleased to see this paper finally come in front of the cabinet, and it’s genuinely welcomed by all members of cabinet.”

She added that introducing a single car park permit was “sensible” and would be welcomed by residents and that the introduction of an app to allow people to pay through their mobile phones was an “excellent progression” for the council.

Plaid Cymru’s Cllr Gary Mitchell, as Vice-Chair of the Economy, Residents and Communities Scrutiny Committee, presented Cabinet with their recommendations.

The committee had discussed the final report at a meeting earlier this month.

Cllr Mitchell said: “It was a good, honest and robust debate around it. The committee certainly welcomes the rebalance of parking charges across the authority, but it still understands there is still a disparity in some council owned car parks where they are operated free-to-use.

“The report does note the frustration and the delays of reaching this point of coming to cabinet.”

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.

The proposals agreed by Cabinet members are:

Reintroduction of 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 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 will also be introduced.

Blue Badge holders will now need to buy a pay and display ticket in council car parks but will receive an additional one hour after the expiry of their ticket.