Parking charges in Swansea will rise as expected in all council-owned car parks in April. Council chiefs approved proposals which set out a raft of new prices, which haven't gone up since 2014, although concessions will be available for Swansea residents.
There was little discussion about the proposals when Labour cabinet members met on January 19. The council subsidised parking during the Covid period - by £2.1 million last year alone - and said it needed revenue to help meet a very difficult financial outlook which all authorities faced. Opposition leader, Cllr Chris Holley, said he felt it was "regrettable" that charges would be increased by such a large amount.
Speaking at the cabinet meeting, Cllr Andrew Stevens, cabinet member for environment and infrastructure, said parking costs were 22% lower in Swansea than they should be, and that all his colleagues were aware of "enormous" budget pressures. Even with the new charges, he said, Swansea's car parks "remain cheaper than most other UK cities". You can get more Swansea news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
