Major changes to council run car parks in Bristol

Early bird fees will be introduced at the Temple Gate and West End multi-storey car parks

Changes to charges for council-run car parks are set to be given the go-ahead.

Bristol City Council will introduce fees in 10 of their district car parks and a new £8 early-bird, all-day fee, at Temple Gate and West End multi-storey car parks.

Current charges at off-street car parks, which penalise motorists if they leave their vehicles before 18:00 but have no choice but to pay until midnight, will also be made fairer, with the charges charging hourly up to 22:00.

Drivers using long-stay car parks, who currently pay £18 for any time over four hours, but less than a full day, would park for an hourly rate instead.

'Some better off'

However, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a report to the committee said there would be an 8.7% inflationary increase along with an alignment of fees across all car parks.

The report said while charges up to six hours would cost £16.20 as opposed to the current £18, this would be the only length of stay where costs were cheaper.

Motorists staying longer than six but less than eight hours would have to pay £21.60, while the amount for up to 12 hours is £32.40, and £37.80 for 24 hours – more than double the current cost.

The report also said on-street parking would be simplified by removing the current system where drivers have to buy in multiples of 50p.

'Parity with daytime customers'

Under the new “linear” charges, a one-hour stay after 18:00 would be just £1.50 but increasingly costly for every extra hour, up to £15 for the six hours up to midnight as opposed to the existing £4 fee.

The report said: "It is fair to say some customers will be better off under a linear system and some will be worse off."

It also said while "most customers will pay more for evening parking under a linear system" the cost will "reflect the length of stay and brings parity with daytime customers."

The changes will be discussed at a transport and connectivity committee meeting on 12 September.