Babergh District Council reveals plans to scrap free parking

Refund arrangements would exist for users of the council's leisure centres at Sudbury and Hadleigh, the council say

Plans to increase parking charges in parts of Suffolk have been revealed.

Babergh District Council is proposing to end free parking, where it is currently available, and raise other tariffs, in Sudbury, Hadleigh, and Lavenham.

A petition against the potential move has reached 9,000 signatures.

The plans will be discussed at a council meeting on 18 March as part of plans to plug a £6.7m budget gap over the next four years.

Subsidising the three-hour free parking is estimated to cost about £425,000 for the year 2023/2024, with this expected to rise further, a council report stated.

The proposals include introducing a £1 charge for a one-hour stay in some car parks and £1 for two hours in others.

Fees would increase by 50p increments each additional hour, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

An all-day charge at a long-stay car park would peak at £2.50, reduced from £3.

'Difficult decisions ahead'

Babergh's leader, Liberal Democrat councillor David Busby, said: "We have said all along that we would rather not have to introduce short-term parking charges, and that if we have to do so, we will ensure they are modest, fair and that we take on board suggestions and feedback from the communities affected.

"There is no escaping the fact that we face a significant financial challenge ahead.

"Although the recommendations in this proposal help in part, they do not solve the whole problem — there will be further difficult decisions ahead."

The report also includes a second tariff option, which would see an extra 20p overall being added to the above prices.

Season tickets will also be increased.

It is estimated the changes would improve the council's overall budget by about £750,000 and boost investment in sustainable travel facilities.

Conservative councillor Paul Clover, who launched the petition opposing the changes, said the proposals had been released too soon after the consultation period ended on Wednesday.