Motorists in North Staffordshire may soon face parking charges. The council is considering changes to 10 free car parks to boost revenue and improve services.
Leek: The Staffordshire Moorlands District Council is thinking about charging for parking in 10 free car parks. This could bring in over £100,000 a year.
They want to make some big changes. This includes longer charging times and overnight fees. They’re also looking at using automatic number plate recognition and cashless payments.
The council has noticed they’re not making as much from parking as nearby areas. They hope these changes will encourage people to use other transport options and help the environment.
These 10 car parks have 309 spaces. Charging could bring in about £103,750 yearly. But setting it up will cost around £3,750 for each car park.
The car parks on the list include places like Angle Street in Leek and Churnet View Road in Oakamoor. They’re also considering trialing the new payment methods before rolling them out widely.
Currently, they charge from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM, which is the shortest time in Staffordshire. Extending this to 6 PM could help them earn more but might scare off visitors if not done right.
Charlotte Atkins, who oversees services, mentioned that parking fees should cover maintenance costs. This way, taxpayers who don’t drive aren’t footing the bill.
She added that their parking fees are lower than in other areas. They need to think about how these charges will affect local businesses too.
They’re exploring options like ANPR, which has a high compliance rate. They’ve also thought about building new car parks near tourist spots, but that’s on hold for now.
The resources overview and scrutiny panel will discuss these changes soon. Feedback will be taken into account before a final decision is made.
