They're back - Parking charges for small car parks

10.15.00pm GMT Fri 9th Nov 2007

Before the elections last May the Council dropped proposals for car park charges in Green Street car park in Lower Sunbury. At a meeting on the 6th November the Tory-controlled Executive agreed that 5 new car parks should be charged for and that prices should be increased in all existing locations with effect from 1st April 2008.

Tory Executive members expressed the view residents had said that they were in favour of charging car park users rather than raising the revenue from non-specific charges. Local Liberal Democrats believe that charging for these facilities will deter people from using them and instead people will park on roads. This will have the double impact of not generating revenue whilst at the same time increasing on-street parking.

Liberal Democrat Leader of the Opposition, Cllr Colin Strong, said "Charging for these small car parks will not raise significant revenue but will have a significant impact on local residents. At the Executive meeting I made it clear that Lib Dems oppose these new parking charges and would urge that people make their views known during the upcoming consultation period."

Details of the consultation period, expected to start shortly and run for four weeks, will be posted on this website as soon as the details are available.

NEW CAR PARKS

The 5 car parks for which new charges are proposed are:

Dumsey Meadow - near Chertsey Bridge - 14 spaces

Manor Park - Shepperton - 65 spaces

Orchard Meadow - Sunbury - 60 spaces

Thames Street - Sunbury - 27 spaces

Old Bathing Station - Sunbury - 90 spaces

The proposal is to charge all these car parks at the rate of 50p for the first hour, £1 for between 1 and 2 hours and £1.50 for over two hours. These charges are expected to raise a total of £35,000 in a full year.

A further 7 car parks were considered viable for charges and may be considered in the future. An additional 6 car parks were evaluated but were not thought to be viable.

The full details of all these car parks are contained in the document linked below. This proposal was accepted unamended by the Executive.

EXISTING CAR PARKS

The proposal is to increase charges by variable amounts to reflect what are believed to be appropriate market rates.

Due to development works in Staines there will be a temporary decrease in the number of car parking spaces during 2008/9.

Cllr Strong said "These massively above inflation increases are not justified. Spelthorne Council has a very poor record in managing car parks and estimating receipts. These are a set of desperate measures which allow the Council to avoid really addressing its cost base."

Link to details of the Executive decision on car parking charges:

http://www.spelthorne.gov.uk/6nov07_report4.doc

Details of the proposed charging scheme:

http://www.spelthorne.gov.uk/6nov07_report4appendix1.doc