Parking charges to rise across city centre again

The cost of parking a car in Liverpool city centre is to rise again from next month, the council has confirmed.

Liverpool City Council said that from 1 November the cost of leaving a car for half an hour within the inner city centre is to go up to £2.40 while an hour will increase to £4.60.

The move, which was signed off by members on Tuesday, will apply to all council owned car parks and spaces throughout the city centre. Prices last increased in April.

Councillor Ruth Bennett said the authority was continually monitoring fees and charges so they remained competitive and sustainable.

The rise follows a commercial review of charges across areas including leisure, parking, Liverpool Film Office, bereavement services and city halls, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

It took place between April and autumn this year.

This increase is inline with a rise in the consumer price index (CPI) of 3.1%. The large uplift on any single tariff in a council car parking space is 70p.

A 30 minute space within the inner parking zone – which is now chargeable from 07:00 BST to 23:00 BST – will go up by 10p from £2.30 to £2.40.

A two hour stay will rise to £6.80 from £6.50 while up to four hours, or five hours after 18:00, will cost £11, up from £10.60.

Charges in the outer zone of the city centre will increase to £1.90 for 30 minutes – an increase of 10p.

Parking for an hour or two hours will both rise by 20p to £3.60 and £5.60 in just under two weeks' time.

On average, across all council managed spaces, including Victoria Street, Paddington Village, Mount Pleasant, Kings Dock car parks, the price of parking is to rise by an average of 4% from next month.

These are discretionary charges, meaning the city council is not bound by law to introduce them.

A cabinet report said this income makes an important contribution towards the cost of delivering the services and supports the overall financial sustainability of the council by reducing the subsidy required from the city's general fund.

It is thought with the average increase, an additional £1.4m will be generated, the LDRS said.

Despite the increase in fees, revenue generated by parking services over this financial year is expected to come in short of the council's forecasts.

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