Cornwall Council tweaks proposed changes to car park charges

The authority is looking to have three zones for its car parks, with the aim of "simplifying charging"

Author: Richard Whitehouse, Local Democracy ReporterPublished 9th Feb 2023

Cornwall Council has performed a U-turn on some of its planned parking charges after feedback from councillors and members of the public.

The council published last week details of proposed charges for its car parks under changes set to be introduced in May.

Under the changes the council is looking to have three zones for its car parks which aim to simplify charging. The council currently has 120 different tariffs and the new scheme aims to streamline the charging system.

However the zones have proved contentious with the council looking to place car parks in high use areas in the highest charging zones and with plans to introduce Sunday charges in all car parks and to introduce evening charges in the top level car parks.

The proposed charges went back to the council’s Cabinet today and Connor Donnithorne, Cabinet member for transport, announced a number of changes which had been made as a result of feedback. The first change is that charges in car parks in Zones B and C would only apply from 9am to 4pm – the earlier proposals suggested that charges would remain in place until 6pm.

Secondly the charges for Zone B car parks will also be altered – the previous plans were that two hours of parking would cost £2.40 and three hours would be £3.60. These have now been reduced to £2 and £3 respectively.

The new charges only apply to those car parks operated by Cornwall Council. A number of car parks around Cornwall have been handed over to town and parish councils to operate which have their own charging policies.

Cllr Donnithorne said that he was keen to listen to councillors’ views and said that there would be a chance for members of the public to comment during the public consultation which is due to take place next month.

Under the proposals the charges are as follows:

  • Zone A – 30mins (short stay only) £1.30; 1hour £2.20; 2hours £4.40; 3hours £5.50; 4hours £6.50; All day 9am to 6pm £10; Evening 6pm to midnight £2.50
  • Zone B – 30mins (short stay only) 60p; 1hour £1; 2hours £2; 3hours £3; 4hours £4.80; All day £6
  • Zone C – 30mins (short stay) 50p; 1hour 90p; 2hours £1.50; 3hours £2; 4hours £2.50; All day £5.50

The council has also changed some of the zones which some car parks had been placed in under the original proposals. The full revised zones that Cornwall Council’s car parks will be in are as follows:

  • Zone A – Year round: Albert Quay, Fowey; Caffa Mill Pill, Fowey; Edward Street, Truro; Fore Street, Newquay; Garras Wharf, Truro; Main, Fowey; Marazion Station; Moorfield, Truro; Moresk, Truro; Old Bridge Street, Truro;
  • Zone A summer and Zone B winter: Barnoon, St Ives; Causewayhead, Penzance; Church Street, Falmouth; Clarence Street, Penzance; Crescent, Bude; Crooklets Beach, Bude; Greenmarket, Penzance; Grove Place, Falmouth; Gwithian Towans, Hayle; Gyllyngvase, Falmouth; Harbour, Penzance; Harbour, Newquay; Island, St Ives; Kilminorth Woods, Looe; Millpool, Looe; Mount Wise, Newquay; New Polzeath; New Road, Port Isaac; Park Avenue, St Ives; Penalverne, Penzance; Pentire Headland, Newquay; Polzeath Beach; Porth Beach, Newquay; Porthmeor, St Ives; Porthtowan Beach; Readymoney, Fowey; Riverbank, Looe; Seaton Park, Seaton; Smeatons Pier, St Ives; St Erbyns, Penzance; St Georges Road, Newquay; Station, St Ives; Summerleaze Beach, Bude; The Beach, Seaton; The Bridge, Seaton; The Dell, Falmouth; The Manor, Newquay; The Moor, Falmouth; The Sloop, St Ives; Town Quarry, Falmouth; Trenwith, St Ives; Watergate Bay; Well Lane, Falmouth; Wheal Leisure, Perranporth
  • Zone A summer and Zone C winter: Link Road, Padstow; Wherrytown, Penzance; Widemouth Bay
  • Zone B – Year round: Alexandra Square, Saltash; Antony Road, Torpoint; Belle Vue East and West, Saltash; Berrycombe Road, Bodmin; Castle Street, Launceston; Cattle Market, Liskeard; Church Street, Mevagissey; Clifden Road, St Austell; Cobweb, Boscastle; Commercial Road, Hayle; Commercial Road, Penryn; Culver Road, Saltash; Dennison Road, Bodmin; Duke Street, Newlyn; Exchequer Quay, Penryn; Flowerpot Chapel, Redruth; Fore Street, Bodmin; Foundry Square, Hayle; Goldsworthy Way, Wadebridge; Lower Sungirt, Liskeard; New Cut, Redruth; New Cut Extension, Redruth; New Road North, Callington; New Road South; Callington; Polkyth, St Austell; Porthrepta, Carbis Bay; Post Office, Bude; River Street, Mevagissey; Rosewarne, Camborne; Saracen, Penryn; St Peters Hill, Newlyn; Tamar Street, Torpoint; Trenance, Newquay; Trengrouse Way, Helston; Trengrouse Way Extension, Helston; Tyacke Road, Helston; Upper Sungirt, Liskeard; Victoria Square, Bodmin; Walk House, Launceston; Westbourne, Liskeard; Wharf, Bude
  • Zone B summer and Zone C winter: Albany Road, Newquay; Belmont, Newquay; Dane Road, Newquay; Helford Village, Helford; Kittos Field, Porthleven; Long Rock; Piggy Lane, Wadebridge; Tregunnel, Newquay; West End, Redruth
  • Zone C – Year round: Castle Green, Helston; Cattle Market, Launceston; Cawsand; Downderry Broadsyard, Downderry; Lelant Saltings Park and Ride; Pannier Market, Launceston; Par Beach, Par; Poldhu, Poldhu; Porthcothan; Rapsons, Liskeard; Rappers Coombe, St Agnes; Rosewarne Extension, Camborne; Tintagel Visitors Centre; Trebarwith Strand; Tregantle;

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