Drivers risk being slapped with £1,000 yearly parking charges as council looks to plug £13bn budget hole

Under the proposal evening parking charges could be brought in for the first time across council-owned car parks.

The move would see cars face a fee of £2.50 to park between 6pm and 10pm with some areas along the coast seeing higher fees.

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But the proposal has already been met with resistance with some councillors warning it could risk damaging the nighttimeeconomy as well as impact residents the most.

Shaftesbury Councillor Derek Beer warned that the £17.50 weekly charge for evening parking which would mainly impact low-income individuals was "a bit steep", and would have an effect on residents.

He said: “We would like to suggest, please that we don't look at all of our car parks exactly the same, but we actually look at why they were built, what the purpose was and not just for shoppers during the day but to service the nightlife or the stability and crime reduction in the town centres.

“The amount of money coming in is very little, but the difference it makes to people who live in those towns is quite significant and I'd hate to see people moving out of towns for something quite as simple as a £2.50 charge.”

Meanwhile Councillor Ray Bryan, who previously considered introducing similar charges under the Conservatives warned: “My biggest worry is the impact on the night-time economy and on people who can least afford it. This was voted against before for good reasons.”

While the decision has not been confirmed by the council yet, it has already been met with mixed views from residents in the area.

One person shared the introduction of overnight parking would not be great for Shaftesbury Arts Centre and all its volunteers.

“The cast has been rehearsing three times a week for months and then there is the costume team and rest of the crew, if we have to pay to park every time it is unlikely people will volunteer so much, the cinema is also struggling as it is without adding parking cost to the ticket,” the person added.

Someone else shared that the weekly cost of £17.50 equates to £910 a year, “how are low-income or even mid-income going to find that money?”

Another resident questioned why the council always chooses to “go for the easy option” and increase parking charges instead of tackling the funding gap another way.

Agreeing with Councillor Beer, a local resident explained that for anyone who lives in town it will be a “complete nightmare” trying to park without the charges.

But if they are introduced “going to charge them an extra £1,000 a year it’s crazy and unfair, you’ll drive people away from the town and punish people who live in the town!”

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The council will meet again in February to finalise plans on the parking charges which could be introduced later this year pending approval from the Place and Resources Scrutiny Committee.

Another resident added: "The council should be making it easier for local community projects and businesses not harder!”