City street parking charges to rise by 70%

On street-parking charges are set to rise by 70% in Liverpool.

The city's council said the increase for council-owned car parks, would bring it into line with other similar sized cities.

If approved, the March 2025 increase will see on-street parking go up from £1.20 to £2 for 30 minutes.

The council said it wanted to encourage people to use public transport, but opposition leaders said the city had failed to create the infrastructure for that.

A council cabinet report said Liverpool generates the lowest net income from parking amongst England’s core cities - just under £4m last year, compared to a core city’s average of nearly £11m.

Fifty-two new enforcement staff will be hired.

Parking at council-owned car parks will also cost more from March, with an hour at the M&S Bank Arena multi-storey set to rise from £2.40 to £4.

Plans to extend on-street parking charges beyond 18:00 could be introduced next year, having been on hold for two years.

Council leader Liam Robinson said the council was playing "catch-up" with other areas who review their charges regularly, adding, "we cannot allow this situation to continue".

Money raised from fees and charges will be "reinvested" helping to provide "cherished services benefiting our communities".

But opposition councillors said the council should not use motorists as “cash cows” to plug “self-inflicted” gaps in the city’s finances.

Community Independents group leader Alan Gibbons called it “eye watering”, adding, “desirable as it is to use public transport more, the city’s leaders have failed to put in the green infrastructure it needs”.

He said the council should have done more to recoup rent and tax owed in other areas before increasing charges.

Liberal Democrat leader Carl Cashman said the council needed to be “careful not to deter people from coming into the city”.

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