CAR parks “should not be a cash cow” for the council, a meeting has heard, after plans emerged for charges to resume

A council report – which showed that Ceredigion took in almost £750,000 in parking fees from across the county in just

six months between April and September 2021 – says that it is “intended to re-commence car park charging at Talbot Yard, Tregaron, and Porth, Llandysul as of 1 April”.

The committee meeting heard warnings that the plans would have a “huge impact on both town centres”, and Cllr

Elizabeth Evans told members that “I don’t think we should kid ourselves that we don’t use it as a cash cow.”

Concerns over reintroducing charges

INTRODUCING car parking charges in Llandysul and Tregaron would have a huge impact on both town centres, councillors have heard.

One suggestion in a report to review car parking charges in Ceredigion council owned car parks across the county is that charges could be brought in at car parks in both towns.

The plan is currently being considered and will be reviewed as part of budget preparations, a scrutiny committee heard on Thursday.

The committee were asked to consider “how this would impact on both town centres in terms of economic activity” and whether introducing car park charges would be cost effective for the Authority in both cases.”

“It is intended to install cashless charging pay and display machines and re-commence car park charging at Talbot Yard, Tregaron, and Porth, Llandysul as of 1 April 2022,” a report said.

“This is a legacy issue from the initial roll out of the cashless parking project whereby the machines available were prioritised for use in the most heavily used / income generating car parks but does now need to be resolved.”

How much Ceredigion County County Council makes from parking charges

CEREDIGION council took in almost £750,000 in car parking charges across the county between April and September 2021, figures have revealed.

After raking in almost £1m in charges in 2019/20, pandemic lockdowns meant that the council brought in only £39,955 in 2020/21.

However, with the world opening back up, the first six months of the 2021/22 financial year saw the council on pace to break the £1m barrier by some distance, with £724,361.74 taken at the 21 council-run car parks between April and September.

Figures for the third quarter of 2021/22 between October and December are not yet available.

Cardigan was the town with the biggest income over the first six months of 2021/22, with the council bringing in £198,631.80 from the town’s car parks.

The highest grossing individual car park was Rock Street in New Quay with £89,055.40.

A council report said the years 2020/21and 2021/22 “will obviously have been significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic both in terms of usage and income generated via the machines.”

Standardised charges

CEREDIGION council has launched plans to standardise car parking charges across all its car parks to “resolve historical anomalies” and to “simplify the system”.

Currently charges vary across the county’s 21 council-owned car parks, with some not even currently charging.

Prices are different even across the five sites in Aberystwyth.

A report put before committee members said that “rationalising charges” would see a “consistent approach across Ceredigion with the same price for the same service” and give “stability in the mid-term”.

It would, however, mean “considerable changes to some localised rates”, a report added.

Committee members backed further work to be undertaken of “rationalising the charging structure at Ceredigion County Council’s Pay and Display Car Parks.

Parking services

THE pandemic has had a “significant impact” on parking services staff, councillors have heard, affecting their ability to progress projects beyond maintaining the delivery of front-line services.

A committee heard that the Parking Services team at Ceredigion council “have been heavily involved with the council’s response to the pandemic” which has seen staff redeployed to the Test, Trace and Protect Team, Public Protection and to also support activities such as the delivery of food boxes to the vulnerable.

They have since returned to their roles, with a new Parking Services Manager, Nicola Parry appointed. She has been in Post since July 2021.

Future of Pendre Car Park

NO progress has been made in relation to the transition of Pendre Car Park, Cardigan from a permit only car park to a short stay pay and display car park, councillors have heard.

The plan, first presented in 2019, was shelved during the pandemic as the car park was used to provide disabled parking during the Safe Zones to give flat, easy access to Cardigan high Street. “Consideration of future use of the car park is ongoing,” the council said.

Review of recommendations for council-run car parks discussed

FREE parking for the first two hours to boost the economy of towns in Ceredigion was one proposal put forward by councillors as they discussed the future of car parking charges in the county.

A Thriving Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee last week discussed a review of recommendations for the council-run car parks which was put together before the pandemic.

Proposals included inserting more card-only pay and display machines in car parks in order to reduce vandalism and officer time used in emptying cash machines; daily parking tickets which can be transferred from one car park to another in the county; free parking for the first two hours of the day to help the town’s economy; and the availability of an online facility to purchase and print car parking tickets at home.