An end to free parking in Liverpool city centre after 6pm would be “detrimental” and could impact jobs at small businesses, councillors have warned.
Liverpool Council launched a consultation last month on the future of on-street parking in the city centre in a bid to modernise the provision and improve congestion and air quality. The engagement exercise is asking 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.
Under new proposals put forward, charges at public pay and display and other parking bays would be enforced between 7am to 11pm. In addition, fees to park within the CPZ would increase by 10p per half hour.
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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. The local authority said the proposed extension of the charging period is aimed at creating more spaces for those holding residents and business permits.
The plans were given short shrift by Cllr Mirna Juarez, Liberal Democrat member for Allerton and Hunts Cross at a meeting of the council’s strategic development and housing committee this evening as the authority’s budget proposals were debated. She said: "I think this is going to have a detrimental impact on our night time economy and shoppers who like to shop late.
“I don't think this is a good idea." 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.
Cllr Christine Banks, who represents the city centre ward, said she had concerns about the impact on businesses. She said: “Lots of people come straight from work in the car.
“If people can’t come in, we’ll have empty shops and people having to think about cutting hours and jobs.” Cabinet member, Cllr Sarah Doyle, said that was “the last thing we want” and perhaps a tailored approach could be adopted to help businesses.
Cllr Patrick Hurley said his preference would be to ban all cars from on street parking and "book everyone" who does so. Despite this, he said extending opening hours at sites like Mount Pleasant would be an option, a move backed by Cllr Steve Munby who described it as “common sense.”
Cllr Doyle added that moving towards reducing cars in the city centre was a direction the council needed to head in, as well as increasing charges for those that do come in. Once the council has analysed the consultation feedback, it will then make an assessment on proceeding to a formal Road Traffic Regulation order consultation.
The closing date for responses is 5pm on Monday December 12.
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