Wakefield council set to scrap two-hour free parking

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 14 Oct, 04:32 · Archive

Wakefield councillors are set to vote on scrapping two-hour free parking, a move expected to raise £1.8m for the council.

Wakefield councillors are set to vote on 20 October on scrapping two-hour free parking across the borough. The change would raise over £1.8m for Wakefield Council according to a review. Two-hour free parking was reintroduced in November last year after first beginning in April 2020, before being scrapped in April 2023.

The proposals also include hiking charges at most car parks, while introducing a free 30-minute on-street parking period to support quick visits. Sunday parking would remain free. The council plans to scrap a 15p charge for paying for parking digitally on the MiPermit app and to consult on a £1 evening rate applying between 6pm and 8am. Additional changes would include modifying resident permit and season ticket pricing, and introducing on-street parking fees in Horbury.

Keith Anderson, the council's cabinet member for highways, transport and planning, defended the changes as necessary to plug a budget shortfall. He said the previous free parking offer was 'unsustainable and irresponsible', adding that the changes would allow the council to maintain car parks better and invest in modern technology whilst remaining competitive with private operators and other destinations across the region.

How it is being reported

• Yorkshire city set to scrap free two-hour parking and hike chargesSenior councillors are poised to agree to proposals to scrap two-hour free parking across the Wakefield districtHuddersfield Examiner · 14 Oct, 04:00
• City set to scrap two-hour free parkingCouncillors are set to vote on the proposal less than a year after the grace period was introduced.BBC Leeds And West Yorkshire · 13 Oct, 07:14

In this story: Wakefield Council · Keith Anderson · Wakefield

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