New parking rules in England 'proposed' in reaction to Cost of Living crisis

Drivers could see parking charges skyrocket as a local council fights with inflation and the Cost of Living crisis. East Hampshire District Council has proposed a minimum increase of 10 per cent, or around 20p rise, to parking charges at council-owned car parks.

If approved, the changes could come into effect from January 1, 2025. The proposed changes include parking charges increasing from £1.30 to £1.50 for one-hour stays, while prices would rise from £1.80 to £2 for two hours of parking.

All-day charges could also go up from £8.80 to £9.70. Official council documents detailed: “As councillors will be aware, the pressures on our finances remain with reduced funding from central Government. The proposed increases will help contribute towards the financial position of the council and assist in funding the ongoing pressures that the council face.”

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Councillor Elaine Woodard (Lib Dem, Horndean Murray) said while places like Petersfield are very busy she did not want people being deterred from visiting Alton town centre because of increased parking charges. Leader of the council, Councillor Richard Millard (Con, Hedley) suggested that once the parking review was available, members gather for a single agenda item meeting on the subject so it could be discussed in detail.

Councillor Charlene Maines (Con, Rowlands Castle) said she agreed with the increases and thought they were not substantial. She wanted to know how the council were going to ensure people paid for their parking tickets and suggested introducing surveillance cameras.

The members were told that the council pays online ticket provider Ringo £10,000 per month for the parking service. A council officer said the split between online and cash ticket payments by the public was 50/50. The proposed fees and charges were approved to go to a cabinet meeting on Thursday, November 14 before a full council meeting. If agreed, increases will be adopted from January 1.