Parking costs to rise after council losses

Parking costs in Runnymede are set to increase by as much as 10p as the borough council looks to save £4.1m in running costs a year.

Runnymede Borough Council has said a review into parking has found "minimal" increases need to be introduced, after losing £160,000 in parking income since the pandemic.

As of April 2025, town centre car parks will rise by 10p an hour and out-of-town facilities will see a 5p an hour rise.

Car parks for outdoor facilities, such as parks and cemeteries, will be free for three hours before a flat rate fee of £2.80.

The borough council is introducing 30 minutes free parking at two sites in Egham, and is setting up a process to allow free parking for community events.

A council spokesperson said: "We don’t intend to close any locations and no-one wants to increase charges, but we have to take difficult decisions to balance our books.

"We are on a journey to making sure the fees paid by motorists who choose to use our car parks actually meet the future cost of running our parking service.

"These increases are absolutely not about making a profit but we must continue to cover our costs."

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