Business leaders have reacted with anger to Liverpool council plans to extend car parking charges. David Bartlett reports

LIVERPOOL will become the only major northern city to charge to park on its streets after 6.30pm, when a new regime is introduced in April.

The revelation comes amid mounting anger at Liverpool Council’s proposal to extend charging for parking for both on and off-street from 6pm until 8pm to raise an additional £110,000 a year.

Liverpool Council leader Warren Bradley recently claimed the move would “mirror” other UK cities.

But it has emerged that on-street parking in Manchester, Leeds, and Birmingham are free after 6pm, while Sheffield and Newcastle are free from 6.30pm.

Last night lobby group Downtown Liverpool in Business (DLIB) and Liverpool Chamber of Commerce urged the council to re-think the proposed extension of parking charges.

The city council said the decision was “unavoidable” and still meant that people would pay far less than other core cities for all-day parking in car parks.

It has insisted that although it has been a difficult decision to make, it will help protect services.

The Labour opposition urged the Liberal Democrat administration to put aside political differences and reverse the proposed charging scheme for the good of the city.

The extension of parking charges is part of the city council’s budget for the financial year starting in April.

It will see the local authority’s share of council tax increase by 4.45%.