New charges revealed for Chester car parks

The new prices are part of a new 15-year parking strategy brought in to help the cash-strapped council generate income following cuts to local authority funding.

They will come into effect on Wednesday, April 11 and signal the end of the Free After 3 scheme, which allowed shoppers to park free of charge in certain city car parks from 3pm onwards.

But while Free After 3's days are numbered, short-stay tariffs have been reduced in several central car parks. The idea is to support shoppers and discourage commuters from parking for extended hours where demand is high. Longer-stay charges for some of the city's outer car parks have also been lowered.

Cheshire West and Chester Council say the "simplified, reduced" rates are easier to understand.

In summary, the reductions include:

- Trinity Street – reduced tariff for up to two hours’ stay

- Cuppin Street – reduced tariff for up to one hour's stay

- Market – cheaper for stays up to and over six hours

- Delamere Street – cheaper for stays of up to and over six hours

- Garden Lane – cheaper for stays of up to and over six hours

- Brook Street – cheaper for stays of up to and over six hours

A flat rate of £5 all day will be introduced at Little Roodee and Watergate Street to encourage longer stay use. "Cheap and simple" flat rate evening tariffs will be available at all car parks.

Public parking charges at Christleton Road car park will be unchanged. Frodsham Street and Hamilton Place car parks are reserved principally for Blue Badge holders and remain unchanged. Blue Badge holders who are borough residents will also be able to continue to park without charge at pay on exit (ANPR) car parks for four hours on any day.

The parking plan is to ensure parking in Chester is "fit for purpose and positively contributes to the city’s economy", council bosses say. But when it was announced last year, it drew criticism from business leaders and Conservative councillors who attacked the loss of the Free After 3 scheme, which was brought in 10 years ago to encourage footfall. Traders are also unhappy at the decision to introduce £1-an-hour charges for street parking on Brook Street, City Road and Foregate Street.

Councillor Karen Shore, the Labour-led council’s cabinet member for environment, said: “With our action plan for Chester we are addressing the issues facing residents who live in areas where commuters regularly park, introducing the right offers in the right places to encourage visitors, improving disabled provision, and reducing congestion and air pollution.

“Our Park and Ride service into the city will be free every Wednesday from 2pm, beginning on Wednesday, April 11. Future plans also include the introduction of an ‘app’ to allow businesses to pay for all or a proportion of a customer’s parking charge, most likely to be linked to how much they spend. This will be ready to trial from mid-April.”

The new car park charges are:

Brook Street

Arrivals before 6pm:

Up to 1 hour – £1

1 to 2 hours – £2

2 to 4 hours – £3

4 to 6 hours – £4

Over 6 hours – £5

Arrivals after 6pm (to 6.59am the following day) – £1.50

Cuppin Street:

Arrivals before 6pm:

Up to 1 hour – £3

1 to 2 hours – £4.50

2 to 4 hours – £6

4 to 6 hours – £8

Over 6 hours – £10

Arrivals after 6pm (to 6.59am the following day): £2

Delamere Street

Arrivals before 6pm:

Up to 1 hour – £2.50

1 to 2 hours – £3

2 to 3 hours – £3.50

3 to 4 hours – £4

4 to 5 hours – £4.50

5 to 6 hours – £5

6 to 7 hours – £5.50

Over 7 hours – £6

Arrivals after 6pm (to 6.59am the following day) – £3

Garden Lane

Arrivals before 6pm:

Up to 1 hour – £1

1 to 2 hours – £2

2 to 4 hours – £3

4 to 6 hours – £4

Over 6 hours – £5

Arrivals after 6pm (to 6.59am the following day) – £1.50

Little Roodee

Cars (Monday to Friday):

Arrivals before 6pm:

Up to 12 hours – £5

12 to 24 hours – £8

Arrivals after 6pm (to 6.59am the following day) – £1.50

Weekend tariff (6pm Friday to 10am Monday) – £10

Buses (coaches) and goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes:

Arrivals before 6pm:

Up to 3 hours – £5.50

3 to 6 hours – £8

6 to 12 hours – £10

Arrivals after 6pm (to 10am the following day) – £5

Market

Arrivals before 6pm:

Up to 1 hour – £2.50

1 to 2 hours – £3

2 to 3 hours – £3.50

3 to 4 hours – £4

4 to 5 hours – £4.50

5 to 6 hours – £5

6 to 7 hours – £5.50

Over 7 hours – £6

Arrivals after 6pm (to 6.59am the following day): £2

Trinity Street

Monday to Friday:

Up to 1 hour – £3

1 to 2 hours – £4.50

2 to 4 hours – £6

4 to 6 hours – £8

Over 6 hours – £10

Arrivals after 6pm (to 6.59am the following day): £2

Weekend tariff (6pm Friday to 10am Monday) – £10

Watergate

All day (7am to 6.59 the following day): £5

Arrivals after 6pm (to 6.59am the following day) – £1.50

An order has also been published regarding the introduction of parking charges at Bishop Street car park, permit holders and disabled persons’ badge holders at Walker Street car park and a maximum stay limit at Sandy Lane car park in Chester.

The draft order can be inspected at The Forum Offices, Chester, between 9am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday. Copies of the documents will also available to view on the council’s website www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk.