Ipswich: Council approves car park tariff increase

Ipswich Borough Council said car park charges were below what they were in 2011, when they were £1.70 for one hour

A council has approved price increases for its car parks after saying its income from vehicles had fallen by £1.3m this year.

The new price changes will apply to car parks owned by Ipswich Borough Council.

Labour councillor Sophie Connelly said the council's off-street parking "remains good value for money" and "competitive" with private car parks.

However, Conservative councillor Ian Fisher said it was the "worst time" to increase parking charges.

Some of the changes include a 10p per hour increase, from £1.30 to £1.40, on short stay tariffs from 1 August, with another 10p rise in January.

Long stay charges will also increase from £1 to £1.20 per hour, up to £6.20 for an all-day stay.

The parking tariff of £2 after 14:00 on weekdays, also called the "two after two" deal, will rise to £2.50, reported the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The £1 car park tariff for the first hour at Crown Car Park will be removed.

The time period for parking charges will also move to 22:00.

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Mr Fisher, Conservative group leader, said it was one of the "worst-timed announcements" the council had made because of the cost-of-living crisis and the decrease in footfall in Ipswich.

"It gives the wrong message at the wrong time - we should be trying to encourage people into the town centre and I think it will have the opposite effect," he said.

Ms Connelly, portfolio holder for culture and customers, said: "Income generated from off-street car parks has significantly reduced, mostly because of lockdown and the effect of Covid, and the shortfall has to be addressed.

"Even with those increased tariffs, Ipswich Borough Council off-street parking remains good value for money and competitive in comparison with private car parks in Ipswich."