Big rises in parking charges approved

City of York Council's ruling executive voted unanimously to introduce the traffic regulation order needed to raise car park charges.

Drivers will now have to pay to park until 9pm. Charges currently end at 6pm. Prices will increase by 10p an hour for medium and long-stay car parks and 20p an hour for short stay.

The rises, which should take effect by the end of March, are expected to rake in an extra £319,000 for the cash-strapped council.

More money will be pulled in by the doubling of Respark residents' permit charges, from £42 to £84, a move on the verge of being approved. The Respark increases will officially start to change at the beginning of April.

The Evening Press has received a number of angry comments from readers about the scheme, with several claiming that the city centre would "die" if rises were introduced.

But several city centre restaurateurs have spoken in favour of the evening charges.

The council's transport boss, Ann Reid, told the executive meeting there was little difference between charging people to use car parks in the day or at night.

She said there would be significant investment in the car parks, with better security, resurfacing and parking wardens.

But the council's Labour Group says the charges could badly affect the evening economy and make life difficult for voluntary groups.

"The level of these charges is a worry,' said Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing, Labour's spokesperson on planning and transport.

"They cost the same as

peak-time parking, so if someone parks from 6pm until 9pm, it will really add to the cost of their evening.

"We are supposed to be attracting people into the city centre on an evening, boosting both the economy and the cultural life of our city, but these charges could put all this is jeopardy."

Coun Reid has said that at least 5,000 homes are in Respark zones, with about 35,000 people living at the affected addresses.

Updated: 11:01 Wednesday, February 04, 2004