BCP Council considers overnight parking charge

A councillor has said charging for parking overnight would be a blow to flat owners in town centres

Car owners could be charged for overnight parking by a council in order to improve its finances.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council has said it is considering an overnight fee for its car parks.

Chief Executive Chris Farrant said it was part of an investigation into harmonising parking charges as a first step to getting more income.

But a councillor said the move would be a blow to many town centre flat owners.

Mr Farrant confirmed the council was considering the plan with the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

But he added the authority "would need to look at all the implications if we were to introduce something like [overnight fees]".

Councillor Jackie Edwards said flat owners had no private parking and no alternative other than to use public car parks or park on streets where there were no parking limits.

She added that if a change was considered, the council would have to debate its parking policy as a whole.

The authority currently has a policy that new flats, in many circumstances, can be built with no associated car parking spaces.

It has also tried to reduce car ownership in its town centres in response to growing concerns about congestion on local roads.