In the latest twist of the parking charge saga, revised proposals for fares at some limited waiting bays in Harpenden and St Albans have been published by the district council.
St Albans City and District Council (SADC) have confirmed fresh changes in response to the views of residents, businesses and other organisations, including Harpenden Town Council, that were aired in a public consultation.
“We have listened carefully to people’s concerns, including those expressed in a petition, and met with Harpenden Town Council."
The original proposals included a charge of £2.50 an hour for a maximum two-hour stay and two free parking sessions of up to 20 minutes each per vehicle per day.
Five revisions to the proposals have now been put forward:
1. Restrictions to start from 9am rather than 8.30am in Harpenden to ensure there is minimal impact on the morning school runs there.
2. The two 20-minute free parking sessions to be replaced with one 30-minute free session.
3. Charging periods to be made available in blocks of 30 minutes rather than one-hour long sessions to reduce the potential cost of brief stops.
It means the charge for a one-hour stay, including the free period, would be £1.25 while the maximum two-hour cost would be £3.75, including the free period.
4. No changes to be introduced at bays in York Road in St Albans until a wider review of parking in the area takes place.
5. Five limited waiting bays in Leyton Green in Harpenden to be converted into resident parking bays for the benefit of local households.
There will be no charge for parking outside the hours during which restrictions apply at the bays, 9am to 6pm in Harpenden and, reflecting different local conditions, 8.30am to 6.30pm in St Albans.
“We know that some people would prefer to retain the current system of no charge at all for a full two hours, but we hope they can understand that is not sustainable in the current financial climate," Cllr Campbell added.
The councillor highlighted that parking accumulated losses of around "£1.5 million" over the past four years, suggesting that cannot continue at a time when local authority budgets are under "so much pressure".
Read More:
- Harpenden parking charges delayed until next year
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She said: “We are simply asking motorists who park in high-demand bays to make a small contribution towards the many car parking costs we are faced with, such as staffing, enforcement, equipment, signage and maintenance.
“Our aim is to move the parking services budget towards the break-even point so that it no longer needs to be subsidised by the wider Council budget, money that could be spent on priorities such as creating more social housing or helping the homeless."
The main objection to the changes, raised in the consultation, was concern that they could have an "adverse effect on businesses and the vibrancy of the high street".
SADC believe that there is "no evidence to support this".
The community will be given the opportunity to air their views during a 21-day period starting on Thursday, November 7.
If the changes go ahead, they are likely to be implemented in early 2025.
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