Drivers have been warned of plans to increase parking by a whopping 10 per cent across a popular city which could risk deterring shoppers from the high street.
The plans introduced by the City of York Council would see drivers pay more on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays when parking is often busier and more in demand.
The new parking measures would help raise £1million with increased fees expected to come into effect for both visitors and residents with a Minster Badge permit.
The permit, which can be purchased for £30 and is valid for two years, offers residents reduced parking rates across the city.
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The parking changes would impact costs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
PACouncillor Kate Ravilious said: "Like many other places, we charge less for car parking in the evening, when roads are quieter and buses less frequent.
"Our new car parking prices extend this principle with higher charges for car parking on the days when the city suffers [the] greatest traffic congestion. This plan has also enabled us to ensure no new cuts to services have been proposed in this budget."
She added that the changes were necessary to get cars off the road to improve the reliability and frequency of the local bus network.
Under the proposal, any-time parking would increase from £6.20 to £9.70 for the first two hours. The council hopes to encourage more people to use public transport.
However, the council did note that Minster Badges will offer greater discounts for drivers, increasing from 10 per cent to 30 per cent to reflect the new pricing structure.
Phil Pinder, chair of York High Street Forum, warned the new parking fees couldforce tourists and shoppers to retail parks instead of high streets.
He told the BBC: "Businesses that rely on regular, local transactions, like alterations shops, key-cutting shops, will disappear in the long term. York will always have tourists. But those sorts of businesses can't rely on tourist income."
In a joint statement, York's business leaders have said the proposed increases could harm the "economic vibrancy" of the city.
The proposed charges have already been met with mixed views from residents with one person sharing how it will "kill off" the town with "extortionate rates".
Another person shared: "Ha York is screwed, or at least the cars parking are. This will ruin the shops, visitors, or people will just not visit areas you pay into. Stupid council idiots."
Someone else warned that people would be "bamboozled" by additional charges. "I use the car parks every so often, and not every single week, it might not matter too much to me. But I suppose to local businesses, it will matter a heck of a lot," they stated.
Meanwhile, Councillor Katie Lomas explained that the parking charge has already been backed by residents with 55 per cent of respondents supporting the measure. She said: "That measure is now included in the budget, to raise income while encouraging sustainable travel."
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The charges would impact all council-owned on-street car parks
PAThe changes will need to be officially approved in February during a council meeting with the charges to come in at a later date.
