Council car park charges increased for second year

Charges to use council-run car parks are to increase for a second consecutive year.

Babergh District Council, in south Suffolk, introduced new charges in Sudbury, Hadleigh and Lavenham in January last year as part of a bid to offset a budget deficit of £6.7m over the next four years.

On Tuesday, councillors voted again to increase charges to offset a new deficit forecast of £8.5m, which a spokesperson said would help protect other services.

Jamie Towells, owner of Jamie's Meat Inn in Sudbury, said he feared the increases would lead to independent businesses closing in the future.

The council's tariff increase will start with a 20p rise for one hour to £1.20, up to a 50p rise to £3 for four hours.

However, it decided to keep free parking on Sundays in Sudbury, Hadleigh and Pin Mill car park in Chelmondiston.

A council spokesperson said it had been clear it needed to "move towards recovering the full costs of providing its discretionary services, so we can use our limited finances in the fairest, most effective way for communities".

"Despite the introduction of short-term parking charges in early 2025, our car parks still cost more to operate than the income they generate, and we cannot continue to subsidise them without cutting other essential services that people rely on," they added.

"Even after identifying £2.5m in savings for 2026/27, Babergh District Council faces significant financial pressures over the next four years. Government funding has not kept up with rising costs and growing demand for services."

Towells said he understood the council's reasoning, but he feared fewer people would visit the high street.

"It's been tough as a business because every expense has gone up," he explained.

"As a business, certain things go up gradually, but everything has hit you — you've got business rates, electric, the car parking charges, wages.

"It hasn't been one thing, it has been everything, so last year was very tough. Probably the toughest to date."

Towells added that he did not believe he had seen any benefits or changes to Sudbury from the money saved through last year's increases.

The council previously commissioned an independent study by the University of Suffolk into the impact of the revised parking charges, which suggested there would be no significant change or notable adverse effects.

However the council said it would continue to monitor the impact closely.

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