Council to consult on raising car parking fees
At a meeting on Monday, 16 November, Arun District Council’s Cabinet agreed the proposed new parking charges should be put out for public consultation.
Parking fees in the town centre car parks have not been increased since 2010, and, even with the proposed charges, will still be very competitive when compared to other councils in Sussex.
The proposals, set to come into force on 1 April 2016, will not affect the disc scheme which operates in Bognor Regis and Littlehampton and allows two-hour free parking in six Arun District Council car parks.
The increases in Littlehampton town centre equate to an average 14% increase, which is the equivalent of around 10p an hour.
The fee for the seafront car parks in Littlehampton is set to stay the same for the first two hours of parking [three hours in West Green]. From March to June and September and October, the suggested average increase is 16.5% which is around £1 per day, with a larger increase for July and August.
However, no decisions will be made on the increases to parking charges until the end of the consultation when the views of the public have been considered.
Councillor Paul Dendle, Arun District Council’s Cabinet Member for Leisure and Amenities, said: “For economic and strategic reasons, the Council has not increased charges for five years, longer in some areas, in order to support tourism businesses. Now that the economy is growing, we have to look at raising charges to cover maintenance costs. Even with the proposed tariffs, Arun District Council will still offer good value for money and drivers will still benefit from the two-hour free parking disc scheme.
“The decision to increase the tariffs is not one we take lightly; but it is important that we look at ways of maximising income in order to balance the books, due to the vast cuts in funding the Council receives from central government.”
The Council is keen to hear the views of residents and traders and a four-week consultation will be launched in due course so the public can share their views.