PARKING is about to become less painful on the pocket for Liverpool motorists with reduced charges at council car parks and city centre pay-and-display bays.
The city council’s move to cut the cost of parking at city centre pay-and-display bays by almost 10% comes into effect on Friday, with an even bigger reduction being introduced at Mount Pleasant car park.
The drop in fees, which follow a public consultation exercise in September, bring the cost of parking at city centre pay-and-display bays in-line with where it stood in 2008.
It is hoped this will boost businesses, shoppers and visitors, in the run-up to Christmas and beyond.
The maximum time vehicles can park at pay and display bays in the city centre is also being increased from two hours to four hours.
Mayor of Liverpool Cllr Joe Anderson said: “These changes will bring huge benefits to motorists, easing the burden on people’s pockets in tough economic times, as well as giving a boost to businesses by attracting more shoppers and visitors into the city.
“I’m delighted these changes are being introduced in time for Christmas. This an important time of year for our retailers and it’s vital we do as much as we can to support them.
“By making parking more convenient and affordable, not just this Christmas but through the year, we can make sure our city centre thrives.”
Under the proposals, the cost for parking for 30 minutes at pay-and-display bays which fall within the Inner Controlled Parking Zone will drop from £1.10 to £1; up to one hour will be cut from £2.20 to £2; up to one hour and 30 minutes will be reduced from £3.30 to £3; and up to two hours will fall from £4.40 to £4. There will be a capped cost of £5 for parking for between two and four hours.
Costs are falling even more sharply at Mount Pleasant car park. From Friday parking for up to one hour will cost £1, down from £1.30; up to two hours will be £2, down from £2.60; up to three hours will fall to £3 from £3.90; and over three hours will be reduced to £4 from £5.20.
The maximum motorists will pay at Mount Pleasant is £4, meaning motorists can park all day in the city centre, at one of Mount Pleasant’s 1,850 spaces, for just £4, set against the current all-day cost of £7.
People parking in London Road area car parks will also benefit from a 10% reduction in charges (£1 for up to one hour, reduced from £1.10) with the maximum they will pay capped at £3.50 (for over three hours), a reduction from the current £5.
The changes aim to promote the use of the city centre’s parking bays by making them more affordable and convenient for shoppers and visitors.
It forms part of a major, city-wide review into the city’s parking policy, with further proposed changes to be announced in the near future.
Council cabinet member for Transport Cllr Tim Moore, said: “The cuts to parking charges – the first we’ve made in a number of years – are aimed at making Liverpool city centre a more attractive destination.”
Ged Gibbons, chief executive of City Central and Commercial District BIDs, which represents more than 1,400 businesses in the city centre, said: “Anything that strengthens the city centre’s appeal to visitors and shoppers, especially at Christmas, is to be welcomed.
“Car parking charges are a critical factor for our retail sector and the fact these cuts will encourage people to stay longer will hopefully have a positive knock on effect at the tills.’’
