Liberal Democrat proposals to raise residents’ parking permit fees by nearly 26 percent have sparked strong criticism from city councillors, who claim the rationale behind the hike lacks credible evidence.
Gloucestershire County Council aims to generate an additional £338,000 in the upcoming financial year by increasing charges on residential parking permits and on-street parking. The budget plan, reviewed by the corporate overview and scrutiny committee on January 7, includes raising the cost of a first parking permit from £63.60 to £80 — a 25.8% increase starting April. The fee for a second permit would jump from £127.35 to £160. Additionally, on-street parking rates are set to increase beyond inflation.
Cabinet member for finance, assets, and transformation, Colin Hay, defended the decision, stating the hikes are necessary to better cover costs. “We think it’s justified,” Hay said, acknowledging that even with the increases a deficit remains but that the council must “catch up” on charges. He also highlighted that permit prices vary widely across the country, with some areas charging less and others more.
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Hay further explained that the rise in on-street parking charges aims to narrow the gap between these rates and district car park fees.
However, Liberal Democrat councillor Jeremy Hilton of Kingsholm and Wotton sharply criticized the proposed increases and questioned the legitimacy of the council’s reasoning. Representing an area affected by residential parking zones, Hilton described the council’s explanation as “bull****” and said councillors had received “absolutely no written evidence” to back the “excessive” hike.
He challenged the council to disclose how much pay-and-display rates will increase, suspecting they will not match the steep rises slated for permits. “Those who pay for permits because others use their streets free of charge are being excessively overburdened,” Hilton said, adding that permit fees have steadily increased over time and that this latest jump is unacceptable.
In response, Hay acknowledged Hilton’s frustration and said he had only recently reviewed the figures and intended to compile them properly before sharing. He noted that some district councils have already raised charges midyear to fill budget gaps.
Cabinet member for sustainable transport and strategic highways, Roger Whyborn, confirmed that on-street parking fees will rise at a rate above inflation.
Conservative group leader Stephen Davies pointed out that previous administrations deliberately avoided hiking parking charges despite internal pressures, emphasizing that the current increases were a clear decision by the Liberal Democrat administration rather than a correction of “drift.”
Councillor Rebecca Trimnell, representing Hempsted and Westgate, expressed deep concern for vulnerable residents, particularly those in housing association flats, who would be disproportionately affected by the nearly 26 percent rise. She disputed claims that the increase was insignificant, noting its serious impact on those close to the poverty line.
Council leader Lisa Spivey assured councillors they would receive detailed figures soon, acknowledging that even a small weekly increase can be a financial burden for some residents. She underscored the council’s need to make difficult, pragmatic decisions in the face of ongoing financial pressures.