Winchester parking: New volunteer permit and one-hour evening charge

Cllr Neil Bolton spoke as the Winchester City Council watered down its controversial plans for evening and overnight parking in city centre car parks.

At the council decision day on Monday, October 9 a new volunteer permit and one-hour overnight tariff was agreed by Cabinet member for climate emergency Cllr Kelsie Learney.

In July, parking on a Sunday for more than four hours has increased from £2.10 to £17. This is an increase of £14.90 or 709.5 per cent. 

Also, the previously overnight free period from 7pm to 8am now costs £3.30 for more than one hour.

Cllr Learney agreed a new tariff of one hour to cost £1.80.

READ MORE: City council to introduce new volunteer permits in city centre car parks

The city council surveyed various groups that use volunteers such as Winchester Churches Night Shelter, Play to the Crowd operators of Theatre Royal Winchester, St Peter's Church, Winchester Community Choir, Hope Church Winchester and Winchester BID.

The results showed that 90 per cent of people were in favour of the new permit. They would allow free parking for volunteers during the evening in the city centre car parks, such as Middle Brook Street.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Bolton said: “When gyms, bars and restaurants have been crying out for help, the administration looks the other way and introduces evening charges for their customers. This is putting more barriers in the way of businesses making profitable growth and employing more people. Be under no illusion, this move to fine-tune the parking charges three months after the decision represents another example of a lack of real and effective consultation before a decision is taken. 

SEE ALSO: Winchester city centre parking charges should have been wider

“While I welcome the introduction of a volunteer system, if the administration had effectively collaborated in its decision making as stated in the council plan, they wouldn't be fine-tuning after the event following the roar of objections from residents and business owners.”

Cllr Learney said: “We have always said that we’re listening and are open to having positive and meaningful discussions with our local community. 

“These new additions to our parking tariffs are an example of making changes where we can, and which don’t undermine our overall objective of encouraging different ways of travelling into our city centre. We want people to visit the city centre, but we want them to automatically use the edge-of-city centre car parks when they do – we’re encouraging people to park for free, to car share or use alternative transport for the benefit of the city centre – its reduction in traffic, improvement in air quality and for people’s health and wellbeing.” 

Cllr Learney added that the city council will continue to monitor the impact of the changes and that no changes were being made to disabled parking.