Senior councillors consider big increase in parking fees

Dale Spridgeon, local democracy reporter

Parking fees could rise by as much as 40% as a council looks to meet shortfalls in its budget.

Cyngor Gwynedd’s cabinet is being asked by its parking service to approve new plans and to enable already approved schemes to move forward when it meets on Tuesday (October 15).

Two savings schemes have already been agreed by the cabinet for 2023/24.

They include an increase in the cost to park at Pen y Gwryd, rising from £2 for half a day and £4 for a full day to £4 for 6 hours and £8 for 12 hours.

‘Reasonable’

According to a council report the same fees had existed at the popular roadside parking location “for years” and it was felt ” reasonable and timely” to propose an increase.

Also agreed was another planned rise in the price of an annual parking ticket from £140 to £145 per year, and a local parking ticket from £70 to £75 per year.

Now the parking service is also seeking “further consideration” and approval to proceed two more schemes, before reaching a final decision for 2024/25.

They include extending the enforcement hours of short stay car parks from 10am to 4:30m to 9pm to 5pm and adjustments to the Band 2 long stay fee structure.

‘Income targets’

It also seeks an agreement for a 40% increase in all parking fees “to meet income targets” which a report states would “address a significant shortfall in budgets.”

The council’s intention the document notes would be “to proceed with the preparations in order to implement all the changes from April1, 2025.”

Although approval from the cabinet had already been achieved for its 2023/24 schemes along with the first phase of proposed savings and cuts, the council acknowledged: “The subject is contentious, as the council’s leadership team we feel it appropriate to present the schemes before the scrutiny committee and then the council’s cabinet members for their approval.”

By increasing the cost to park at Pen y Gwryd, the council claims would achieve an extra £40,000 towards its coffers.

And increasing the price of annual and local car park permits by £5 per
annum would bring in £17,000.

Adjustments to Band 2 long stay fee structures were also anticipated to bring in £160,000, and extending parking enforcement hours at council short stay car parks would raise £78,000.

Increasing all fees by 40% is expected to raise £800,000 assuming it has no impact on car park usage.

“It is anticipated that increasing parking fees by 40% would be sufficient to address the expected inflation increase until the 2028-2029 financial year.” the report noted.