Car park price hikes and plans for new charges

Car park prices could be increased across Exeter

Charges at car parks across Exeter could be increased to help the city council balance its books.

The leader of Exeter City Council said he recognised the impact on city centre shops but needed extra revenue to deal with inflation.

InExeter, which represents city centre traders, said car parking prices affected "people's willingness to come into the city".

One shopper said the car parking charges were already "extortionate".

The old Exeter Bus Station has been demolished and may now be turned into a space for temporary shops and car parking

A report to be discussed by Exeter City Council on Tuesday recommends increasing the cost of city centre car parks by 40p so that a two-hour stay would increase from £4.50 to £4.90.

The cost of an all-day stay would increase from £18.00 to £18.40.

The council is also considering setting up a car park on part of the old bus station site.

It is also looking at introducing charges where parking was previously free, such as the Riverside Leisure Centre, but parking would still be free for leisure centre members.

The leader of Exeter City Council, Phil Bialyk, said the council needed to increase charges to pay for essential services

Phil Bialyk, the leader of the Labour-run council, said: "Charges are going up for everybody in every walk of life at the moment unfortunately.

"Inflation has hit us all hard. We want to make some improvements to the car park estate - we need money to do that.

"Cars are still important but we'd like to see them reduced a little bit - there's walking, cycling, all these other options."

Under the proposals the minimum stay could be reduced from two hours to one at some car parks away from the centre and Sunday charges would stay the same to encourage Sunday shoppers.

Nicola Wheeler is the chief executive of InExeter, which represents businesses in the city

Nicola Wheeler is the chief executive of InExeter - the business improvement district for the city that represents more than 670 businesses.

She said: "We recognise that car parking charges are one of the factors that are impacting on people's willingness to come into the city and ultimately that impacts business as well."

Ms Wheeler said she did not want to see charges increased but recognised car park income was needed to fund council services in the city.

She said the council needed to take a "long-term view" that did "not prohibit people from coming in the short-term".

Student Ellie Jones said increased charges could put her off bringing her car into the city

One man who had parked in Bampfylde Street car park, who did not give his name, said the prices were "pretty extortionate" currently and any increases would be "unfair".

Ellie Jones, a student who had just parked in the same car park, said she thought the current prices were already putting people off driving into the city.

She said: "With the way they are charging me at the moment I don't think I'll be using my car very often."

Exeter City Council will meet on Tuesday to discuss the report and set the terms of a full public consultation into parking charges which is expected to be completed by October.