Evening parking charges to return in Southampton?
A consultation is underway
Evening parking charges could be brought back in Southampton.
They were suspended last year, but council bosses say demand has increased as the city recovers following the Covid-19 pandemic.
New plans mean it could soon cost 50p for 30 minutes for on-street parking.
A three-week consultation on the plans opens today (Friday 29 July 2022).
The council is proposing the implementation of the following evening tariffs.
- On Street Charging Period 6pm to 8pm - ÂŁ0.50 per 30 minutes
- Off Street Charging Period 6pm to Midnight - ÂŁ1 for the 1st hour, ÂŁ2 for stays longer than an hour.
At the end of the 21-day consultation period, the city council will take any representations into account and determine whether to implement the proposals by means of a Cabinet decision.
While parking tariffs are not implemented to raise revenue, any on-street parking surplus is used for the Transport related expenditure.
Cabinet Member for Transport and District Regeneration, Councillor Eamonn Keogh, said:
“As a Council we are committed to making however you choose to get around the city safer and more accessible. There is currently no evidence to suggest that free evening parking charges have either directed resulted in growing the local economy or made parking more accessible.
"At the time, consultation results also showed a majority being against the decision made by the previous administration. Since we have seen those wanting and needing to park finding it harder and there has been a greater desire towards more affordable public transport instead.
"Therefore, as a new administration we believe it is right and fitting to review the decision on parking charges and will make a decision after the consultation is complete.
"We are also investing in making bus travel cheaper, so family and friends can travel and visit our great city centre.”