Motorists using council car parks hit by 22% rise in charges in two years – report

Motorists using council-run car parks at night have been hit with a 22% rise in average rates over two years, according to new analysis.

People using car parks in the evening have seen the typical hourly rate rise from £1 in 2022 to £1.22 this year, figures obtained by Churchill Motor Insurance suggest.

Average daytime hourly rates rose by 11% over the same period, from £1.15 to £1.29.

Sandwell council in the West Midlands is responsible for the biggest price rise in percentage terms recorded by the researchers, with its average rate doubling from 40p to 98p.

They are followed by Renfrewshire Council in Scotland (from 60p to £1.25) and Oldham Council in North West England (from 88p to £1.66).

Average overnight hourly rates for council-run car parks have risen by 45% from 2022, from £1.10 to £1.59.

Councils introducing overnight parking charges from 2022 set hourly rates at an average of £2.90.

Churchill issued a freedom of information request to 398 British councils in March.

The analysis uses average parking charges based on responses from the 138 councils that provided usable data.

Churchill Motor Insurance boss Nicholas Mantel said: “We know that increased parking charges are not just about raising money for councils.

“They are often also put in place as a traffic management measure, encouraging people to use alternative transport options.

“With this in mind, regardless of their location, motorists should check parking rates before any journey and look for where they can find a cheaper rate.”

Steve Gooding, director of car research charity the RAC Foundation, said: “Parking charges are a tool for managing congestion, not for supporting local authority budgets.

“Money might be raised for town halls and town halls, but the same could be said for drivers and businesses.

“That said, in 2022/23, councils in England made a combined parking profit of over £900m, although the totals vary hugely from one authority to another.

“Some authorities seem to be more enthusiastic than others about managing parking in a way that attracts people whose patronage is key to sustaining the local economy, day and night.”

Claire Holland, a spokeswoman for the Local Government Association, which represents councils, said: “Parking services exist to meet the demand for parking and to ensure that vehicle owners get to park easily and without causing inconvenience to others.

“When setting parking charges, councils will take into account local circumstances, including the impact on businesses, residents, visitors, other road users and modes of travel, as well as the increasing operational costs of providing parking services.”