Dorset car park charges could rise with free parking scrapped

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 4 Nov, 06:45 · Archive

Dorset Council proposes charging for some currently free car parks and raising on-street parking fees from April 2027.

Dorset Council proposes to replace its three-tier car park charging system with individually tailored pricing for each of its 82 car parks covering more than 11,000 spaces. Some currently free car parks would start charging from April 2027, while on-street parking charges would increase across the board.

Under the proposals, general on-street charges would rise from £1.70 to £2.20 for one hour, from £2.20 to £3.40 for two hours, and from £4.20 to £6.60 for four hours. The Dorset Echo reports that short-stay tickets would be scrapped from several car parks, meaning some visits would cost significantly more: a 30-minute stop in Bridport could rise from 70p to £1.80, while a summer short stay at Charmouth Road in Lyme Regis would increase from 80p to £3.90.

Council leader Nick Ireland said the changes would reflect different demand across the county. "Different places face different challenges. What works in a busy coastal destination may not be right for a market town or somewhere with spare capacity," he said. The review examined accessibility, road safety and how parking supports town centres. Conservative councillor Craig Monks argued the proposals would disproportionately hit short shopping trips, potentially damaging market towns.

The proposals are not finalised and will require approval at the next full council meeting. No changes will take effect before April 2027.

How it is being reported

• Anger mounting as car park charges could shoot up again and free parking scrappedDorset drivers could pay more for on-street parking, while some free car parks may start charging in 2027.Bournemouth Echo · 4 Nov, 07:07
• Car park charges could change to match demandDorset Council runs 82 car parks under a three-tier system which could change to tailored pricing.BBC Dorset · 4 Nov, 06:08
• Anger mounting as car park charges could shoot up again and free parking scrappedDorset drivers could pay more for on-street parking, while some free car parks may start charging in 2027.Dorset Echo · 4 Nov, 00:00

In this story: Dorset Council · Nick Ireland · Dorset · Craig Monks · Bridport · Lyme Regis

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log