New parking charges which will see a hike in current fees on most Cheshire East Council car parks will come into force on July 8, writes Belinda Ryan.
The new charges were voted through by the council’s highways and transport committee in January.
It will see a new 30 minute charge in some Nantwich car parks, and charges for an hour or two hours also rising.
Charges will be introduced in towns and villages where parking is currently free, such as Middlewich, Alsager, Holmes Chapel and Sandbach, no later than October 1.
At Thursday’s meeting of the highways and transport committee, a couple of councillors asked why the new charges were being introduced next month when they thought it had been agreed for October.
Nantwich South Cllr John Priest said: “If you’re going to be able to bring that forward for the non-free towns, why couldn’t you bring the free towns forward as well?”
Richard Hibbert, head of strategic transport and parking at CEC, said: “That commencement date will take effect on July 8 in those car parks where we already have charging.
“The program to equip the free car parks with ticket machines remains, as previously discussed in January.
“So that program is still to be completed and will be delivered over the summer, with a view to introducing parking charges in our free car parks no later than October 1.”
Cllr Ken Edwards (Bollington, Lab) said the way the council had publicised the charges had led to confusion.
“The general information that is in every car park is also, of course, in the free car park currently in Bollington and it did cause considerable confusion,” he said, adding the notice had July 8 on it.
The budget paper presented to last night’s meeting seemed to spark more confusion because that stated the ‘annual inflation adjustment to existing pay and display tariffs can be implemented by July 1, 2024, in advance of bringing charges into effect in the ‘free towns’.
It continued: “This is three months earlier than planned.”
Sandbach councillor Laura Crane (Lab), who is vice chair of the committee, told the meeting: “I think there might be a typo here…
“We agreed in January, that the annual increase for the car parks that are already charged for, would be brought in between April and June, so if anything it’s a few days late, just a few days, but it isn’t three months early.
“I think that particular point then needs stating, because it’s quite concerning to residents if they think we’re rushing things through that we did not agree to do at committee.”
Unable to manage the money like the fountain the paid for years ago £30000
It’s not well publicised that Snow Hill is free after 3pm. I wonder if that will stop?
The election was a customer satisfaction survey and most of the sheep said thank you Labour youve done great job running everything into the ground more please.
It’s quite typical to know that the council committee doesn’t have a clue.
The right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing.
What a pathetic load of council people we have to run our councils.
There appears to be 46 FREE parking sites in CEC as per web site. You would have thought that as it was agreed in January to cancel the free parking, steps would have been taken to introduce payments asap not some 10 months later. Those who have paid for many years are hit with higher costs quicker. CEC needs a complete review of leadership both officer and politician. I wonder if they would do a 100% consumer satisfaction survey?