Liverpool City Council's plan to scrap free parking after 6pm and charge more per half hours will "kill the high street".
The Council has launched a month-long consultation 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 resident and business permits.
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 Liam Robinson, Liverpool Council cabinet member for neighbourhood services, said the city centre had “changed beyond recognition” and with the population growing massively in the last two decades, additional pressures were being felt in relation to parking spaces.
He said: “These new developments, as well as the boom in our night time economy, have radically changed where people go and visit, and how they get there. The city council has helped guide these changes and introduced new pedestrianised areas and new off-street car parks, which have all resulted in an increased demand in on-street parking within the city centre.
“Naturally all these changes have placed new pressures on our highways capacity and available road space, leading to traffic congestion, unsafe parking practices, short commuter journeys by car, long-stay use of on-street parking bays and overall, creating a poor environment for all city centre users – which also impacts on its economic appeal.” Cllr Robinson said now most of the city centre connectivity programme had been delivered, “the time is right” to address issues around parking.
He added: “A lot of thought has gone into these proposals and we welcome as much feedback as possible to help ensure we can continue to refine and improve them before we start looking at a formal traffic order consultation.” 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 plans were met with immediate criticism from the public, with many saying if the decision went ahead it would "kill the high street" and led people to go to the Trafford Centre instead.
Vinny Oliveria said: "Don't go shopping in Liverpool as much now to expensive to park plus tunnel money costs at least £25 pound for a round trip to Liverpool from Ellesmere Port petrol, tunnel, car parking charges. Best city in the world but the council need to stop, this rip off."
Ivegot Metopov said: "This is a ridiculous decision and will simply drive shoppers away from Liverpool One and to the Trafford Centre."
Lindsey Stevens said: "It's already a chore (and expensive) to go into the city centre and I mostly do my shopping online. This will definitely stop me bothering trekking in."
Vik Scarlett Max said: "Is this so that less people visit our already struggling city centre businesses? The council need to stop being so reactive and think about the bigger picture."
Mark Benzar said: "One way to kill the high street even more."
jimmythejig37 said: "Six weeks to Christmas, you would think they would be trying to help the store owners out."
BarrieCaskAle said: "How to hammer the night time economy in one easy move. Incredibly short sighted."
An online survey has been created to inform the consultation ( liverpool.gov.uk/cpzconsultation ). People can also email their views to: parkingconsult@liverpool.gov.uk or write to: Parking Services (CPZ Parking Survey), Liverpool City Council, Cunard Building, Water Street, Liverpool, L3 1AH.
The closing date for responses is 5pm on Monday December 12. Those unable to respond online can access paper copies of the questionnaire at Central Library, William Brown Street.
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