'Why should we pay to park outside our own homes?'

There are growing calls for a rethink of a new annual fee for residents' parking permits in Bradford.

The £35 charge is one of several new parking charge increases being brought in across the district as part of wide-ranging efforts by the city council to cut costs and increase income.

Objectors say some of the charges "beggar belief" - and, in many cases, taxpayers are effectively being asked to pay twice for the same thing.

However, Bradford Council says that for the most part, the changes will simply bring the district "in line" with other areas and help with the cost of running things like permit schemes in the first place.

Gill Edgar, who lives in Wyke, says she only learnt about the new residents' and visitors' permit charge for her street when her neighbours came round with a petition.

"I was absolutely furious, I knew nothing about it," she said. "To think that I have to start paying money to park my car on a street where I live.

"Ok, so it's only £35. But I could park my car on the main road going into Bradford. Is that what they want, for people to start blocking main roads instead of parking outside their own houses?".

From 10 October, hourly on-street parking charges of £1 are also being imposed across council-managed spaces in the city centre and town centres, and the rate at several high-demand car parks in busier district centres will go up to £1.50 per hour.

In addition, free evening parking after 18:00 will be scrapped with charges now applying until 22:00.

Frustration is growing in particular over the introduction of the new £35 annual charge for residents' permits - which were previously free.

That rate rises to £80 for businesses in residential permit schemes, and additional visitor permits will cost £40 per year.

There are currently almost 14,000 of these issued across the district, meaning they would bring in about £500,000 a year in extra income for the council.

Carers and health visitors' permit rates are also going up from £10 to £25.

Other new charges will take the annual savings and extra income for the cash-strapped local authority into the millions.

Lynne Harding, a neighbour of Mrs Edgar's who is one of those leading the petition, claimed advance publicity had been inadequate - although the council said it carried out a six-week consultation.

"An older lady locally has had a stroke," Mrs Harding said. "I feel so sorry for her. The only people she has parking outside her house are her carer - who comes three times a day- and some friends.

"She is upset about it. She wants her carers to be able to come here, and not to have to fork out."

Mrs Edgar added it "beggars belief" to pay again to park on streets that people were already paying council tax for.

She acknowledged the residents' permit system was only in place because people had asked for it.

But she said issues had been compounded because her road was an unadopted one which the council does not maintain - locals do.

"We have to pay for a permit that was previously free, and we don't have any road maintenance for the road coming from them anyway," she said.

A Bradford Council spokesperson said: “We understand the concerns about paying for a permit to park on residential streets.

"However, it is quite common in other local authorities across the country.

"Despite this it is something we have kept free for years while many other councils have already introduced charges."

The council said the new charges were agreed earlier this year as part of its March 2024 budget and were necessary because of "the rising costs of managing and maintaining permit schemes and the need to make services as cost reflective as possible given the wider financial circumstances councils are facing across the country".

“The charges are in line with other neighbouring local authorities and the income generated helps to preserve existing on-street parking and traffic schemes," they added.

The council also confirmed any existing free permits were still valid and the charges would not be due until the renewal date.

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