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Parking fees to increase by third
Tuesday 28th April 2009, 11:30AM BST.
Car parking charges in Walsall town centre will rise by around a third, it has been revealed.
All day parking in Walsall Council-run spaces will soar from £3.60 to £5 – an increase of nearly 38 per cent – sparking anger among traders.
It comes as the authority attempts to claw back millions of pounds this year. Four-hour parking charges will rise from £2.90 to £4, while a three-hour stay at one of the council’s 18 car parks will cost £3, up from £2.20. The increased charges are set to come into force on Friday.
But town centre business bosses are labelling it another nail in the coffin, after the number of traffic wardens on Walsall streets more than tripled from eight to 25 last month.
Peter Wilkes, boss of Tobias Hairdressers, in Bridge Street, said: “Increased car parking charges aren’t going to help anyone, it can only make things worse in a recession.
“People are obviously very cash conscious at the moment.”
The 67-year-old, of Caldmore, added: “It is just another charge on anyone daring to come into Walsall town centre with a car. If you can park cheaper elsewhere, you’re obviously going to go there instead.”
Charges for shorter stays will rise by 10p, with an hour-long visit going up from 70p to 80p, while a two hour stay will cost £1.50, up from £1.40.
But council chiefs insist the fees remain among the cheapest in Walsall.
Keith Stone, Walsall Council’s assistant director for the built environment, said the rates were “fair and reasonable.”
“We are looking to increase by a nominal amount on short stay parking in Walsall,” he said.
“It’s as low as possible which will help people looking to come into the town to do some shopping.
“The reality is we have only very few chances to raise revenue and parking charges is one of those.”
He added: “Because of the budget process we’re in a position to review car parking charges. We can’t ignore this. Other authorities have lower car parking charges but must subsidise this through higher council tax and that’s something we’re not prepared to do.”
Sunday parking charges are also set to be introduced in Walsall. But council bosses will not say when this will come into force.
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If other councils subsidise parking charges through higher council taxes why does Walsall have the highest council tax in the region?
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Keith Stone, how much do you and your colleagues pay to park in Walsall on Walsall Tax payers property?
If you and your fellow leaches paid the same rate as the ”ordinary people” to park your vehicles then there would be o nead for these increases.
Can’t do that can you Keith, it’s a perk of the job and you and your cronnies are hardly going to vote for that are you?
Oh and while you are at it make it first come first serve. Why should you have a reserved space at our expense?
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“The reality is we have only very few chances to raise revenue and parking charges is one of those.” Another option is not to pay Non Contributory Pensions to PART TIME COUNCILLORS!!!!!!
I see a parking area where charges are made for parking and I drive on, I refuse to be fined for spending my money in shops.
Councillors will say its only a small parking charge we are asking for, well in that case if its so small, don’t charge anything at all, also its not only the parking charge that they make money out of, what happens if you cant get back to your car in time???? You get fined!!!! And that’s where they really make their money.
Sorry Walsall, Merry Hill Shopping Centre gets my custom every time, its free parking there.
Just as a matter of interest, Merry Hill toyed with the idea of bringing in parking charges, but quickly changed their minds when several large stores suddenly closed down and moved on, they knew custom would nosedive as soon as parking charges were implemented.
Jim of Bearwood
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Good on you Walsall Council.
It’s about time the selfish motorist paid for polluting our town centres.
If you want to go to the shops you should go on a bike or a bus.
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Shocking, as if residents don’t pay enough council tax already they face an £800 a year bill to park in the long stays, while not being offered any discounting or permit options. In fact the policy seems to enourage resitents to routinely nip out and move their cars around the town to avoid being ticketed, tell us how that isn’t adding to congestion in the town, whereas before residents could park and stay now they have to play cat and mouse with the wardens? Come on we can do better than this?!
Residents around Freer Street have been fined several times over during the past 2 weeks, simply for being residents. In fact the policy and changes made seem to discriminate against tax payers who live in the town, what gives Walsall Council? £800 for a 12 month season ticket, that’s virtually doubling a residents council tax overnight!
A few weeks a go it wasn’t about generating revenue? The evidence suggests otherwise, help the residents!
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Trevor, residents who live in the town are not only being targetted by the wardens, they aren’t being given permits by the council and are having to add to the congestion on the roads by moving their cars away from the wardens, on a 2 hourly basis.
Residents do of course walk to the shops in the town.
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OK if it is applied to all vehicles including Taxis who have a total disregard to parking regulations, make sure they are fined for illegal parking or will they be exempt by the closed eye of parking wardens as usual
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merry hill here I come
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Wow, that’s a lot of money to visit a town full of empty units, pound shops, chavs and litter.
A bus journey costs 6.80 return for 2 people. It would be cheaper to drive and park. That said, Lichfield or Sutton are much cheaper and better towns.
Obviously proud of my town. Good work encouraging people to use it and set up business there.
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