Liverpool parking charges set to rise and free parking slots scrapped under new plans

Parking charges in Liverpool City Centre could be set to rise under new proposals, which would also see some free parking time slots scrapped.

Liverpool Council has launched a month-long consultation on the future of on-street parking in the city centre in a bid to modernise the provision and improve congestion and air quality.

What are the new parking charges and changes?

The consultaion will seek for public views on the city’s controlled parking zone (CPZ) – a regulated area where on-street parking is restricted by law between the hours of 8am to 6pm.

If the new plans go through, charges at public pay and display and other parking bays would be enforced between the extended hours of 7am to 11pm. In addition, fees to park within the CPZ would increase by 10p per half hour.

Currently, 30 minutes parking costs £1.20, this would go up to £1.30. Up to an hour would increase to £2.50 from £2.40.

Parking times for pay and display bays would also be limited to a maximum stay of two hours, with no return within an hour.

Why are the council planning to make the changes?

The local authority said the proposed extension of the charging period is aimed at creating more spaces for those holding resident and business permits.

An increase by 10p per half hour would help to cover the cost of the changes required and contribute to the ongoing operation and enforcement, according to Liverpool Council and would be “significantly lower” than other core cities throughout the UK.

What’s been said

Cllr Liam Robinson, Liverpool Council cabinet member for neighbourhood services, said the city centre had “changed beyond recognition” and with the population growing massively in the last two decades, additional pressures were being felt in relation to parking spaces.

He said: “These new developments, as well as the boom in our night time economy, have radically changed where people go and visit, and how they get there. The city council has helped guide these changes and introduced new pedestrianised areas and new off-street car parks, which have all resulted in an increased demand in on-street parking within the city centre.

“Naturally all these changes have placed new pressures on our highways capacity and available road space, leading to traffic congestion, unsafe parking practices, short commuter journeys by car, long-stay use of on-street parking bays and overall, creating a poor environment for all city centre users – which also impacts on its economic appeal.” Cllr Robinson said now most of the city centre connectivity programme had been delivered, “the time is right” to address issues around parking.

He added: “A lot of thought has gone into these proposals and we welcome as much feedback as possible to help ensure we can continue to refine and improve them before we start looking at a formal traffic order consultation.”

How do residents have their say?

Once the council has analysed the consultation feedback, it will then make an assessment on proceeding to a formal Road Traffic Regulation order consultation.

An online survey has been created to inform the consultation (liverpool.gov.uk/cpzconsultation). People can also email their views to: [email protected] or write to: Parking Services (CPZ Parking Survey), Liverpool City Council, Cunard Building, Water Street, Liverpool, L3 1AH.

The closing date for responses is 5pm on Monday December 12. Those unable to respond online can access paper copies of the questionnaire at Central Library, William Brown Street.