A major city has unveiled plans to raise parking charges by an average of 50 per cent aiming to encourage more residents to switch to bus travel.
The controversial move by City of York Council is expected to generate an additional £1million in revenue for the local authority.
The council explained that the increased charges are designed to create consistency throughout the city centre and align parking costs more closely with family bus fares.
But the proposals have sparked debate among local business leaders, who fear the substantial price hikes could deter visitors from coming to York.
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Drivers would £4.85 for one or two hours of parking
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If approved, the changes would see significant increases at several car parks, with some locations facing more than double their current rates.
Under the new proposals, motorists would pay £4.85 for the first and second hours of parking across all city centre car parks. Saturday rates would see a further 10 per cent increase to £5.34 per hour.
The most dramatic changes would affect Foss Bank car park, where charges are set to rise by 111 per cent. During busy periods and special events, the increase at Foss Bank would be even steeper, with prices jumping by 132 per cent.
The standardised rates would bring all council-operated car parks under the same charging structure, eliminating the current variations in pricing across different locations.
Councillor Kate Ravilious said: “Our proposals are about introducing consistency in parking charges throughout the city centre and more closely aligning those charges with the cost of a family making the same journey by bus. That is necessary if we are to make bus use a credible alternative.
“We also need to reduce vehicle traffic to improve bus service reliability. There is evidence to indicate switching to the bus, walking, wheeling or cycling maintains and even increases consumer spending.
“At the moment we have significant traffic congestion partly created by inconsistent parking charges, which generates more driven miles, something we desperately need to move away from to avoid choking up the city.”
But Phil Pinder, chair of York High Street Forum, has criticised the council’s approach, accusing them of “playing politics” with their plans to encourage bus travel.
“If they want to get people using buses, then they need to have a look at improving the service,” he told the York Press.
Pinder warned that the increased charges could drive shoppers elsewhere. “Pricing people out of their cars will just make them do their shopping elsewhere. There’s out of town shoppers that aren’t tourists, and a lot of businesses rely on them,” he explained.
The High Street Forum has met with council officials to discuss their concerns about the proposals.
During discussions with the council, the High Street Forum suggested alternative solutions, including dynamic pricing that would allow rates to fluctuate based on demand.
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The charges would impact all council-owned car parks
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If the current proposals are approved, parking would become cheaper at privately operated locations in York. Q Park’s Shambles and Barbican car parks would offer lower Saturday rates than the council’s proposed off-peak charges.
The council is currently seeking public feedback on the proposals with residents and businesses urged to “make their views known” before the current budget consultation ends on January 1.
