Challenge to beauty spot parking charges

Birmingham City Council said the charges would still not cover the costs of maintaining the parks

Opposition councillors in Birmingham are pushing back on plans to introduce parking charges at three beauty spots.

The fees are proposed for Sutton Park, Sheldon Country Park and Lickey Hills Country Park, which crosses the Worcestershire border.

Labour-run Birmingham City Council agreed to bring in the charges at a cabinet meeting earlier this month. A council cabinet member said the move was about investing in the parks so they were fit for future use.

But Conservative and Liberal Democrat members say they are planning to challenge the decision by requesting a call-in which allows the scrutiny committee to require the cabinet to reconsider certain decisions prior to implementation.

The request will be considered at a neighbourhoods scrutiny meeting on 2 June.

Ewan Mackey, Conservative councillor for Sutton Roughley, said introducing charges would "create a barrier" for visitors.

"These parks were given to the people of this city for their use in perpetuity, for the benefit of their health and well-being," Mackey said.

"They weren't given to the council to be used as an out in Labour's ongoing cycle of crises."

Residents told the BBC they were concerned visitors to the parks would "clog up the roads" if they avoided the charges by parking in the local area just outside the sites.

A recent council report acknowledged opposition to the charges.

"The introduction of parking charges is often controversial and unpopular as users are asked to pay for something that has previously been free," it said.

The report added: "It is deemed reasonable to ask park users to contribute financially to the upkeep and maintenance of these parks.

"Despite the introduction of parking charges, there will still be a requirement for financial support from the council's general fund to maintain and manage these parks."

Revised charges

Fees on which the public were initially consulted have since been lowered, a move for which there was greater support, the authority said.

The original proposals suggested all three sites would cost visitors £2.20 for up to two hours' parking, £3.30 for two to four hours, and £5.00 for an all-day spot, between 09:00 and 17:00, 365 days a year.

Revised plans for Sutton Park and Lickey Hills Country Park have changed to £1 per hour up to four hours and £5.00 all day.

Proposed fees for Sheldon Country Park have been decreased to £0.75 per hour up to three hours and £3.50 all day.