Stafford railway station parking fees set for 50 per cent rise
Parking charges at Stafford railway station are set to be rise by almost 50 per cent, raising concerns that cars will be left on surrounding roads.
Virgin Trains, which runs the station opposite Victoria Park, confirmed the £8.50 rate to park for all day is set to rise to £12.
The rail operator has also stated the £4 off-peak rate for people who arrive after 11am is also increasing to £12.
The £4 fee on weekends and bank holidays will be increased to £5. The changes will come into force from September 5.
Stafford Borough Councillor Chris Baron, who represents the Forebridge ward where Stafford Railway Station is situated, criticised the move.
She said: "£12 is a lot of money. It's half as much more than it is already. That's £60 a week which is a lot of money for somebody who needs to use it five days a week which I imagine many people will.
"I guess it depends how often you use it but its going to make people start parking on the side roads and at the supermarkets which is going to be a problem. They're just not considering their customers."
She added: "People are always being urged to use public transport but the fares just keep on going up.
"It might be cheaper to get a taxi or bus to the railway station. But if you live on the south end of the town they're cutting the bus services which is creating a north/south divide between Stafford."
Rail user Jon Matthews also warned that motorists would seek alternatives to using the car park.
He said: "Why spend so much money on building a new car park to then out-price a lot of their users a few years later?
"The price hike in public car parking in Stafford in recent years has been shocking."
A spokesman for Virgin Trains said: "We are committed to ensuring all our passengers have the best possible experience when travelling from Stafford.
"Our car parks have remained at a heavily discounted rate over the last few years to encourage more people to travel by train.
"During this time, we've seen a big increase in demand at the station, some from non-rail users who now account for nearly five per cent of cars.
"To increase the capacity available for rail passengers, we have decided to change our pricing structure.
"Monthly and three-monthly car park tickets will only be available to rail passengers, and annual passes will be significantly cheaper for them than non-rail users."
