Bitter parking row ends with one-hour tickets being brought back
Bitter parking row ends with one-hour tickets being brought back
It took almost two years for the car park proposals to be agreed
Berriew Street car park in Welshpool, Powys
A long-running saga over parking fees in Powys has finally ended with an agreement to bring back one-hour tickets at all long-stay car parks.
Charges were hiked as part of the 2023-24 budget from Powys' council's Liberal Democrat, Labour, and Green administration which came into force in April 2023.
But after a fierce backlash a working group was set up in autumn 2023 to review the fees as well as other car parking arrangements. The following long-awaited changes have now been agreed by cabinet members:
Reintroduction of one-hour parking tariff to all long-stay car parks
Tariff for up to one hour set at £1.50, two hours at £2.50, four hours at £3.50, and all day at £5
A new single permit to be used at one car park only costing £280 for a year, £155 for six months, £90 for three months, or £30 for one month
Blue Badge holders will need to buy a pay-and-display ticket in council car parks but will be granted an additional hour after the expiry of their ticket
The review was a stormy affair in which opposition councillors called for fee reductions to get more people using car parks and visiting businesses 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.
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Cabinet member for highways Jackie Charlton (Lib Dem) said: 'Hopefully we have something we can live with. This is a starting point.
"We focused on the tariffs as it's what members wanted but we have other things in there as well.'
Powys Independents joint group leader 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.
Llanbrynmair councillor Gary Mitchell (Plaid Cymru), vice-chair of the economy scrutiny committee, said the changes were the result of a "good, honest, and robust debate".
But he added: "The report does note the frustration and the delays of reaching this point of coming to cabinet."
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