Liberal Democrats welcome U-turn on free parking abolition

The Liberal Democrats have welcomed a partial climbdown from Cardiff’s Labour-run council over plans to abolish the current free parking period at a number of council-run car parks across the city.

Earlier in the year, the council’s Labour leaders announced plans to scrap the current two-hour free parking period which currently applies at a number of car parks across the capital.

Cardiff Liberal Democrats launched a campaign against these plans arguing they would hit trade for many struggling local shops and businesses.

They also argued the plans would lead to parking being displaced into neighbouring residential streets making it harder for residents living close to local district shopping centres to park near their own homes.

Meeting

At the full council meeting on 6 March 2025, the Liberal Democrat council group leader Councillor Rodney Berman handed in a petition of 1,132 signatures against the plans.

Now the Labour-run council has announced that instead of scrapping the free parking period altogether, it will still retain a 30-minute free parking period in the affected car parks.

Councillor Rodney Berman said: “I welcome this partial climbdown by Cardiff Council’s Labour leaders. It is clear our petition has had an impact and caused them to think again in the wake of widespread public opposition to their plans.

Battle

Councillor Berman continued: “In recent years, our local shops and businesses have battled a number of storms including Covid, the cost-of-living crisis and a weak economy. And now they are also being hit with Labour’s rise in employers’ national insurance contributions which has been the final straw for some local businesses.

“It’s time we gave those businesses a break rather than imposing more measures that will hit their trade.

“Whilst I would have preferred the council to have agreed to retain a longer free parking period than just 30 minutes, this is at least better than having no free parking period at all.”

A spokesman for Cardiff Council said: “Following public consultation on removing two hours of free parking in specific district shopping centres, the council is now progressing a new traffic regulation order (TRO) to allow free parking for 30 minutes at these car parks.

“While the legal order is still progressing two hours of free parking will remain in place at these locations.”

They added: “In addition to the proposed 30 minutes free parking at these locations, as part of the TRO process the council will also be consulting on proposals to reduce parking charges on Sundays – where applicable, issuing additional weekend-only season tickets, increasing the charge for long-stay parking, and extending the time period for pay and display from 5pm to 6pm.

“At this stage these are only proposals and they will be determined through the legal process. Further information will be provided when the legal process is complete.”