Evening Parking charge proposal to go to Full Council

20 December 2011

South Lakeland District Council’s Resources and Partnerships Overview & Scrutiny Committee has referred the decision to introduce evening charges in the council’s car parks to Full Council. 

The decision to introduce a parking charge from April 2012 between 6pm and 10pm and a charge of £1 to park from 10pm until 8am was made at a Cabinet meeting on 16 November.  The decision was made as part of an annual review of all car parking fees and charges.

However, in line with the council’s procedures for scrutinising the executive, the decision to introduce evening charging had been ‘called in’ and was considered in detail by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee on Friday 16 December. 

Cllrs James Airey, Janette Jenkinson, and Jamie Samson asked for the decision to be reconsidered as they said it would impose an additional unreasonable financial burden on residents and tourists. They said the imposition of an overnight charge is both unreasonable and imposes extra on costs on residents. 

They felt overnight charging would be unfair on the many town centre residents who are forced to use car parks overnight; that it may encourage more on-street parking and that it will have an adverse affect on the night time economy in Ulverston and other areas in South Lakeland. 

During a two-hour debate, councillors considered the potential impact of such a charge on local residents and visitors.

The meeting agreed to refer the decision to Full Council for consideration.