REACTION: Two-hour car parking fee reinstated in Lancaster

Tuesday, 31 May 2022 14:29

By Greg Lambert @greglam72

A Morecambe man who set up a petition against rising car parking fees and the manager of Lancaster BID have given their views on the reinstatement of the two-hour tariff in Lancaster car parks.

Colin Hewitt from Morecambe, whose petition at Change.org has more than 4,000 signatures, said the car parking charges were "still way too high for his area".

Mr Hewitt was speaking after Lancaster City Council revealed on Tuesday that a two-hour tariff that was controversially scrapped as part of a shake-up of car parking fees will be reinstated in their car parks in Lancaster, at a charge of £3.

The council said this came after feedback from local businesses, residents and visitors to the area.

Lancaster City Council has also announced it will cut its new 6pm to 8am charge of £4 in half to £2, for all of its pay-and-display car parks in Lancaster and Morecambe, and extend its new £5 for five hours tariff in St Leonard Gate car parks to the Moor Mills 1 car park on Bulk Street, Lancaster and Telephone Exchange Car Park in Morecambe.

"I think all they are trying to do is appease the people of Lancaster and Morecambe by bringing back the two-hour charge at £3," said Mr Hewitt.

"The motorists, the businesses and the tourists are paying for the holes in the council's budget."

Mr Hewitt said he would be continuing his campaign and said he had a meeting with Lancaster City Council in June to discuss the views of residents.

"We will continue this fight until we reduce these ridiculous car parking charges," he said.

LISTEN to campaigner Colin Hewitt's reaction to today's review:

Meanwhile Tony Johnson, manager of Lancaster Business Improvement District (BID), said he welcomed today's announcement.

"I'm really pleased that the local authority have listened to the views of local businesses and the community, and done something about it," said Mr Johnson.

"The main one for us has been the removal of the two-hour (tariff). Customers of businesses have been reporting to them that they didn't like that.

"It's such a difficult thing to manage. Costs are rising, and (the council) are like any other organisation or business, they have to look at that balance sheet at the end of the day."

Lancaster BID is a not-for-profit company that spends money paid by businesses to make improvements to the city centre.

LISTEN to Tony Johnson from Lancaster BID's reaction to today's review:

For more on today's car parking fee announcement see here:

Two-hour Lancaster car parking fee reinstated after public pressure - Beyond Radio

To see the full car parking charges before the changes announced today, and the tariffs prior to the initial shake-up, see below.

New car parking charges in Lancaster and Morecambe at-a-glance - Beyond Radio

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