Car park review group concludes

Following a review of car parking across Powys, Newtown residents will see no immediate changes to their town's car parking structure and actually car parking might cost more.

Powys County Council's Economy, Residents and Communities Scrutiny Committee is set to discuss the findings of the comprehensive car park review on Monday, 9 September. However, while Newtown's short-stay car park system remains unchanged, residents may soon face increased parking tariffs.

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The review, conducted by independent consultants AtkinsRealis, assessed various factors such as town centre footfall, the impacts of active travel schemes, and the needs of local communities.

The resulting report recommends reinstating the 1-hour parking charge in towns without short-stay car parks, such as Builth Wells and Crickhowell.

To offset the financial implications of this reinstatement, the council is considering raising tariffs for 2-4 hour and all-day parking options.

For Newtown, which already has a short-stay car park, this means there will be no changes to the current structure.

However, the potential tariff increases intended to subsidise other towns could affect Newtown's parking fees as well.

Residents and visitors might also be hit with higher charges too to park 'off-street' where no charging currently exists.

The council is grappling with a projected funding shortfall of £9.6 million for the next financial year, which could rise to £50.9 million over the next four years.

The full measures for recommendation are:

• Reinstate the 1hr parking charge to long-stay car parks in the towns where there are no short-stay car parks (Builth Wells, Crickhowell, Llanidloes, Machynlleth, Presteigne and Ystradgynlais)
• Increase the tariffs for 2-4hr and all-day parking charges to mitigate the financial pressures of reinstating the 1hr parking option in the specified long-stay car parks
• Review options for introducing charging in off-street council car parks where currently no charging structure exists
• Review options for amending car park permits to be valid for specific, single car parks, with an option to upgrade for use in multiple car parks in the county
• Free parking for events will cease unless the budget can accommodate all associated costs

Cllr Jackie Charlton, Cabinet Member for a Greener Powys said:

“Although delivering sustainable transport in rural areas is challenging, Powys County Council is committed to an approach which achieves a reduction in car use and recognises the need to provide safe and convenient parking within our towns."

"However, this comes at a cost. Powys County Council is currently forecasting a funding shortfall, based on national fiscal analysis, of more than £9.6million for the next financial year with that figure rising to £50.9 million or more over the next four years."

“Sustainable Powys is an approach the council is taking to be innovative and pro-active to re-think how services are delivered to meet future budget pressures. We want a council of the future that delivers quality local government services for our communities with better outcomes."

"This need to be affordable to deliver for our residents and businesses, and affordable for us to deliver and sustain for future generations is a key part in reaching our goals for Net Zero by 2030."

“We believe the recommendations put forward from this car park review deliver for both the communities and the county council going forward.”

The news has not gone down well with opposition groups and residents slamming the proposals.

Local Newtown county councillor, Pete Lewington (Welsh Conservatives) said:

"I am frustrated and disappointed to see the recommendations within this report as I have fought long and hard for a fair £1 for 1 hour parking for our town – its businesses and residents."

"The report shows that by reintroducing the one-hour tariff with some mitigating actions this would actually generate almost £6,000 in additional revenue – however by ignoring to do this and under the guise of the working group review they have found ways to raise a further £402,000 from our beleaguered residents and to reduce visitor levels!!"

"The report states that the primary issue raised by the cross party and wider stakeholder working group was the reintroduction of the one-hour tariff and that discussions were dominated by charges."

"Only recently we saw the closure of a long-standing town centre butchery business with the owner citing the £2.50 for one hour’s parking charge as a significant factor in a reduction in customers leading to his decision to close the business."

"Businesses continue to see reduced footfall as a consequence of these astronomic car parking charges and whilst I am pleased to see this has been acknowledged in other towns across Powys I really don’t understand why Newtown has been excluded. How can our town centre businesses compete with the international super stores that offer free parking?"

"Looking at two of the other proposals I fail to see what this will do to attract and retain tourist visitors to our town and even at this late stage I urge cabinet to think again and act to save Newtown Town centre – they must not ignore the main issue arising from the working group and impose additional burdens on our businesses and residents."

"They should remember that every business lost is a loss of revenue to Powys County Council in terms of lost business rates whereas a thriving a town centre would generate the revenue they so badly seek.

"Once they have bled businesses dry where they will turn next?"

The final decision on these recommendations will be made after the scrutiny committee's discussions next week.