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Lower city parking charges ‘strictly a limited offer’ (From Worcester News)
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Lower city parking charges ‘strictly a limited offer’
7:50am Thursday 2nd August 2012 in News By Tom Edwards
Lower city parking charges ‘strictly a limited offer’
MAKE the most of the steep reductions in car parking charges in Worcester – they are unlikely to stay in force beyond September.
The leader of Worcester City Council said the huge cuts in prices across the city are “a limited offer” and are unlikely to become permanent.
As your Worcester News revealed on Monday, the reductions include all-day parking at St Martin’s Gate multi-storey for £3.60, down from £6, while all-day stays after 10am at the Cattle Market fall from £6 to £2.70.
The council does want some kind of permanent reductions in prices, with the cabinet set to receive a series of recommendations in October or November.
But they are unlikely to match the deals currently available as it would mean a huge drop in income.
Coun Simon Geraghty said: “My view is that it is a limited offer, very much aimed at getting people to come in and stay longer. We’re very much at a time where people are watching the pennies rather than just the pounds.
“The reductions will have a big impact on the budget. What it will do is test the market so we can see what difference it makes. This is about looking at demand and assessing it, so we’ve got something useful to examine when it comes to the recommendations in the autumn.”
Once the cabinet makes a decision on the new prices, it will then need to go to a vote before full council, which is likely to be in November.
The Conservatives, who control the city council as a minority administration, will be calling on the help of the Liberal Democrats in finalising the new pricing structure.
Coun Geraghty said: “Talking as the Conservative leader, we put in our manifesto that we want to reduce the prices and we’d still seek to do that. But clearly, given that we’re a minority administration we need to win the battle of ideas.”
The current short term deals make Worcester among the cheapest cities in the country for day-long parking rates.
Prices at Croft Road and Tybridge Street car parks for all-day stays after 10am are now £1.80, down from £3.50.
Comments(5)
Hwicce
says...
9:28am Thu 2 Aug 12
If they are only going to be applied for a month or so they they are pointless.
More Tea Vicar
says...
9:40am Thu 2 Aug 12
As I said, they could reduce their need for funding by reducing management costs.
And they could improve the parking situation by using their brains and sorting out the Park and Ride. That would make that service better, and better used, and bring more people, but less cars, into the city.
WilkoJ
says...
10:13am Thu 2 Aug 12
More Tea Vicar wrote:I agree, salary cuts are a must rather than cutting services which affect the tax payer. Councils employ too many people who are often or not paid too much, so rather than affect the tax payer with even poorer services, affect the council workers by reducing their salaries and numbers. This will bring them in to line with the private sector who are not only paid less but also having more efficient and logical working practices.
Testing the water is fair enough, so I do understand the Council wanting flexibility, and the need to generate income.
However, the Council could so easily cut its spending. Large scale cutbacks in numbers and pay at the top would be a good start. You could probably halve the numbers, and the pay of those who were left, with no negative effects.
And park and ride could be so much better. The car park and buses are great, but the route into town and the fact the buses stop so often means they are very slow, and unattractive to use. Hence the low usage.
mayall8808
says...
1:15pm Thu 2 Aug 12
The County council were in favor of it but the city has lowered the car park charges to get more people into the city, a conflict i think so why do they not work on some sort of strategy to get a happy medium?
Because its not good for the ego department.
More Tea Vicar says...
8:52am Thu 2 Aug 12
However, the Council could so easily cut its spending. Large scale cutbacks in numbers and pay at the top would be a good start. You could probably halve the numbers, and the pay of those who were left, with no negative effects.
And park and ride could be so much better. The car park and buses are great, but the route into town and the fact the buses stop so often means they are very slow, and unattractive to use. Hence the low usage.