Parking overhaul plans: Price increase, evening charges and 10 free car parks to start charging

The borough council is set to discuss a review of parking charges at a meeting of the management committee.

Under the proposals – which include increasing charges in some car parks – charges would be introduced at Church Ope, Easton, Fortuneswell, Hambro, Lord Clyde and New Ground on Portland and at Radipole Park Drive (southern), Radipole Park Drive (northern), Southill and the swimming pool in Weymouth.

There could also be evening charges brought in at Melcombe Regis, Royal Yard, the council offices, the Swannery, Pavilion, Governors Lane and Park Street.

A report to the management committee states that there is ‘no such thing as a free car park’ since the authority has to pay business rates and those which currently do not charge motorists are subsidised by those that do.

Therefore there is ‘little option other than to introduce charges’.

The report suggests increases of up to 30p to charges in car parks, apart from at Overcombe, where prices would decrease.

It states: “There is a serious need to increase income because the income generated wasn’t sufficient to cover the business rates associated with Overcombe car park. This car park is remote from most attractions and the beach and doesn’t generate a lot of income and therefore it is proposed to reduce the charges in an attempt to attract greater number of visitors.”

Summer charges would also be scrapped at the Castletown, Grangecroft and Masonic car parks on Portland, and the current cheaper winter charges would be applicable all year round. Again, this is due to the need to attract more custom.

The report to the committee states the changes to car parking charges is needed to cover business rates, rent, staff salaries and necessary maintenance.

The borough council pays £500,000 per year in business rates for the car park, in excess of £200,000 for rent for car parks on private land, £100,000 for replacement pay and display machines and £60,000 in maintenance.

The report states: “There has been a lack of investment in the council’s car parks over a number of years and there is a limited maintenance budget which is currently insufficient to provide any improvements/repairs and only barely covers essential maintenance on a reactive basis.

“There is a need to increase some parking charges in order to achieve sufficient surplus that would allow general maintenance as well as specific capital works, otherwise the condition of the council’s car parks will deteriorate to an unacceptable level.”

The management committee is set to meet to discuss the issue on Tuesday at the Mulberry Centre.

"It's almost making money by stealth"

CLLR Gill Taylor is leader of the Liberal Democrats on the borough council. The party campaigned at the end of summer last year for winter parking rates to begin as soon as possible, to support businesses in Weymouth.

Cllr Taylor said the proposed changes are ‘a bad idea’.

“I really do not like the idea of charging for evening parking, or at all in car parks like Fortuneswell.

“Increasing the charges by odd amounts of money is almost the council making money by stealth because the machines do not give change.”

She added: “I do appreciate the need for the council to make money from the car parks, but this could be done in other ways – such as more pay by phone machines. These are good for drivers because you can pay the exact amount, and they’re good for the council because it reduces the amount of money lost through forged coins. These are used in good faith by drivers, who don’t know they’re fake, but the bank won’t accept them so the council loses out.”

Nigel Reed, manager of Weymouth BID, said parking is the 'number one issue' for most people in the town.

"It is good that the council is looking to invest in the car parks. The new machines will enable us to monitor trends and deal with them so if we find that, say, Tuesday afternoons are quieter, we could introduce offers or events to balance that.

"We are disappointed that charges are going to have to go up and at the introduction of evening charges.

"This will affect bars and restaurants. There will certainly be a reaction to this in the business community."