Parking for £1 days planned by town council

Newtown town councillors will receive a report on a proposed “Parking for a Pound” trial in the town.

Councillors are expected to consider whether the scheme should be taken forward in talks with Powys County Council, which owns and operates all of the town’s main car parks.

The initiative, first debated in October, aims to offer all-day Saturday parking for £1 in either Back Lane or Gravel car parks for a six-month period beginning in April 2026. 

However, the report makes clear that any change to charges can only be made by Powys County Council, stating that the Town Council must work with “PCC (as the relevant highways authority)” to introduce the scheme. 

The document confirms that county officials have provided updated tariff and cost information. It notes that the cheapest current ticket in both car parks is £1.50 per hour, and that at £1 for the entire day “this will be cheaper than any other available ticket option”. 

Powys County Council has also informed the Town Council of the cost it would charge for effectively taking the car parks offline for a day to run the scheme. According to the report, the daily figure for Gravel car park is £290.19, while Back Lane is £738.47, each with an additional administrative charge. 

A software update would also be required on the pay-and-display machines. PCC told the council that “an alternative software for the machines would be needed to apply the scheme”, with an estimated cost of £1,000 and about a month needed for installation. 

However, Powys County Council has been unable to give any recent usage figures for either location. The report states: “There is no usage data held by PCC, and so they have been unable to advise on ticket sales per tariff type.” 

If Powys County Council agrees to participate, the Town Council would collect baseline data on footfall and business activity before the trial begins. The report explains that this is considered essential: “To ensure the results are reliable, the study must be structured with two phases… [to] establish the ‘normal’ activity level” before comparing it to the impact of the pilot. 

The document also points out the significant difference in cost between the two car parks, suggesting Gravel may be the more realistic option. It states: “From a financial perspective, there is a large difference between the prices given by the two car parks, therefore in the interest of piloting the scheme, gravel car park could be the best option for now.” 

Councillors will also be asked to consider alternatives if the full six-month £1-Saturday scheme proves too costly. Options listed include “FREE parking on Saturdays once per month”, “£1 all-day parking on Saturdays once per month”, or ten promoted free or £1 Saturdays tied to events.

Tomorrow’s meeting will decide whether the Town Council continues developing the proposal before formally approaching Powys County Council.