Free city-centre parking to end despite objections

Free parking in Liverpool city centre after 18:00 will come to an end after councillors went against public opinion to back the move.

Nearly two-and-a-half years after the proposals were first announced following a review in 2018, parking charges will apply until 23:00.

Parking in on-street bays will be charged from 07:00-23:00 rather than from 08:00-18:00.

Members of Liverpool City Council's highways and public spaces representations committee agreed to the move despite nearly 90% of respondents to public consultations saying they were opposed.

In addition to the time period amendments, parking in the city will also cost more.

Under a scheme adopted last year, 30 minutes in the city centre will go up from £1.20 to £2, while an hour will cost £4 rather than £2.40.

An informal consultation resulted in 89% of respondents saying they were against the changes.

And in a 2023 formal engagement exercise, only 9% of those surveyed said they would support the idea.

Local resident Sue Williams said it would put her off attending concerts at the Philharmonic Hall or the Everyman, two of the venues along Hope Street in the city's Georgian quarter.

"Parking in this area is a nightmare at the best of times," she said.

"But making it paid up until 11 o'clock would make me think twice about coming to certain things.

"I live in the north of the city, so getting a bus from Hope Street involves a long walk to Queen Square, and there's no train station nearby.

"Why can't they bring in a free shuttle bus to take people to and from places?"

Changes to lengthen the two-hour maximum stay around Hope Street were backed however.

The council said moving to a four-hour maximum stay would "support the continuing growth of the night-time economy in the area, in consideration of the feedback from the initial informal consultation, particularly from businesses".

Hollie Cooke works at Painted Ladies tattoo parlour on Hope Street. She said her main concern had always been the two-hour limit, and would welcome an extension of parking time.

"Customers are always panicking about their parking and running out halfway through a tattoo to feed the meter," she said.

But she added: "Ending free parking after 6pm isn't good for theatres or restaurants, especially older customers.

"It's expensive to park as it is, but I'm not sure people in their 70s would want to be catching a bus home late at night either."

The local authority said changes to on-street parking would seek to "achieve a balance between the various parking demands of users, including those of residents who often are unable to find places to park near to their home while also allowing parking opportunities for visitors".

Officials also hope it will help tackle pavement parking problems.

Federica said she could "see both sides" of the parking debate.

"I want to see fewer people drive into and around the city, but last week I used public transport and I was two hours late for work," she said.

"If they want us to use public transport more, it needs to be better."

The proposed extended hours will require additional enforcement, with the fines expected to bring in almost £240,000 in revenue until parking behaviours improved.

A phased recruitment exercise is underway to recruit additional civil enforcement officers from 52 to 100.

The cost of this enforcement will be met from within existing budgets and also from the potential additional revenue generated not only in the city centre but across the city.

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