Sunderland: Plans approved to scale back free parking

Sunderland City Council said its parking charges have not been reviewed since 2018

Plans to scrap free parking at some car parks in Sunderland have been approved, despite concerns from traders.

The council had proposed to make changes to its "Free after Three" scheme, as well as increase charges from January.

Some business told the BBC it would have a "devastating" impact and feared it would drive footfall elsewhere.

Sunderland City Council said its parking charges have not been reviewed since 2018.

The scheme allowed for free parking from 15:00 to midnight.

Under revised proposals, car parks including St Mary's and Sunniside, with a combined 1,133 spaces, will no longer be free, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

However, the council plans to retain the "Free after Three" scheme at its sites on Gorse Road, Charles Street, West Wear Street, Tatham Street and Nile Street, on the periphery of the city centre.

St Mary's car park in Sunderland will no longer be free

The Labour-run local authority said the scheme was not encouraging more consumers into city centre shops, and it wanted more people to avoid driving to reduce Sunderland's carbon footprint.

Its cabinet approved the plans, which will see charges at some sites rise by 10p per hour and a £3 fee introduced on Sundays and Bank Holidays at all city centre surface car parks.

City leaders had previously stressed that overnight parking between 18:00 and 08:00 at seven car parks would remain free.

Gerard Purvis, who owns coffee and clothing store Port Independent, previously told the BBC he feared a drop in trade if the plans were pushed through.

Wearside Liberal Democrats' deputy leader Heather Fagan said the move was "short-sighted" and "nothing more than pure greed".

She accused the council of profiting from the changes, claiming it would drive visitors to retail parks and the Metrocentre.

Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, hit back, adding: "There's plenty of evidence, if the opposition could be bothered to look, that parking at council-run car parks is very good value.

"There have been no parking increases for five years, or between 2010 and 2015, and comparisons with other private-run shopping centres or retail parks are most certainly not like-for-like when our city centre also hosts and attracts visitors for not just shopping but also work, leisure, cultural and sporting events."