York council has brought in changes to its car park pricing after residents and businesses criticised a policy they described as “flawed”, “unbalanced” and “ludicrous”.
Leader Claire Douglas said the climbdown showed “we are a council that listens”.
One of the worst-hit areas was Bishopthorpe Road, where car park charges were hiked by more than 500%.
Traders said their income had fallen sharply after the increase.
Under the updated policy, the rise will be limited to 275% with a £3 per hour charge at the car park, or £2.10 per hour for residents who pay for a Minster Badge.
There are also a raft of other changes which you can read in the panel.
Car park changes in full
At a City of York Council executive meeting last night, a number of speakers took the Labour-run council to task on the parlking issue.
Johnny Hayes, a former Bishopthorpe Road shopkeeper and ex councillor, told the meeting the response to the 500% increase was “shock and disbelief and anger. And people were saying, this can’t be right. It can’t be true. What the council thinking of putting such a ludicrous increase?”
It led to one of the largest petitions ever submitted to the council, with more than 8,000 signatures. Mr Hayes welcomed the council’s parking review, and added: “Can I say that that that anger and that that disbelief I find now is actually moving towards wanting to make some progress, wanting to work collaboratively.”
Resident Gwen Swinburn spoke up for The Groves. Here, another petition “signed by local businesses and residents objects to the substantial parking charge rises across the Groves and our vital urban Lowther Street-Clarence Street shopping hub which supports 27 street-facing businesses alone.
“Petitioners are deeply concerned by the council’s favouritism towards wealthier areas such as Micklegate, Bishy Road and East Parade, where specially commissioned research and concessions have been granted whilst the Groves is consistently overlooked.”
The “huge” parking fee increases were imposed on the area “despite our car parks being located outside the inner ring road. They face top tier charges against policy, as compared with Acomb where 250 council car park places are unlimited and free.”
Co-owner of the Good Food Shop on Bishopthorpe Road Ruth Phillips said the street’s traders had lost £19,000 in one month. “We want to work with the council to find a resolution,” she said. “However, we as traders are not being listened to and decisions are being made without any meaningful consultation.
“A review of car parking charges is welcomed, but it must be independent, comprehensive and based on genuine engagement.”
Andrew Lowson, executive director of the York BID (Business Improvement District), said: “We have around 3,500 charged parking spaces in the city centre, which now start at nearly £5, compared to over 6,200 free spaces at out of town retail parks around the city.
“So if generating revenue for services is a key council objective, it’s clear why some of the city centre businesses perceive the current approach as unbalanced.”
He noted that footfall and spend increased in York during April after the hiked charges came in. But the full picture was more complex: “Spend from local people is down by 3.5% which is a concern. Tourism isn’t an all-year consistent.
“Many city centre businesses – for example, your hardware shops, hairdressers, banks – they rely on a local customer base.”
He added: “If dynamic pricing increases charges at peak times, can there also be incentives at off-peak times, something that maybe the BID and Visit York could help promote?”
After agreeing to several changes to car parking charges in the city, council leader Claire Douglas said: “We are a council that listens.
“While making these changes now, we remain committed to tackling congestion in the city centre.
“We share the frustrations of those who are sat in traffic day in, day out. We are getting on with delivering our plans for a healthier, better connected and more sustainable city by taking steps to make it easier and quicker for everyone to get around.”
Cllr Kate Ravilious, executive member for transport, added: “We are grateful for those who have worked with us to explore solutions.
“While we remain committed to tackling congestion and making it easier for everyone to get around, it is clear that some of the changes introduced were too much, too soon.
“We’ve listened and will now get on with implementing these new arrangements.”
The council also agreed to carry out a review into the impact of the car parking charges at Bishopthorpe Road car park.
Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Nigel Ayre said the changes were the worst of all worlds and failed to discourage car use, shore up the council’s finances or support local businesses.
He added the £115,000 estimated cost of the changes would not include concessions like re-introducing free half-hour parking in areas such as Micklegate which lost it in April.
The opposition leader said: “This has led to an entirely unsatisfactory situation which could and should have been avoided.
“We have a parking policy which has been made up on the hoof, it’s half-hearted and doesn’t please anyone.
“It hammers people and offers them no alternatives.
“We need a strategy on parking, not a sticking plaster to a self-inflicted wound.”