Car parking charges cut to lure Walsall shoppers
Long-stay parking charges have been slashed and free Sunday spaces are being launched at a shopping centre in the Black Country, in the latest move to boost the high street.
The Saddlers Shopping Centre in Walsall has axed its £6.50 all-day fee and replaced it with a price of £3.50 for three hours or more.
New owners Topland have agreed to introduce the fresh charges from today which sees extra short-stay bands come into force.
It now costs 50p for up to 30 minutes, £1 for up to an hour and £1.50 for an hour-and-a-half. This is instead of a fixed £1.50 cost for anything up to two hours.
There is an increase of 50p to £2 for two hours but this is offset by the rising hourly fees between four and seven hours being removed. This includes the £4.50 rate for four to five-hour stays and £5.50 for five to six hours being scrapped.
The free Sunday spaces are due to be introduced this coming Sunday.
It comes after a £400,000 investment in revamping the near 480-space car park was carried out last year.
Steve Pope, director of retail property, said: "We wanted to reward our loyal customers – who have been parking at the Saddlers Centre for over 30 years.
"Parking at the Saddlers Centre is easier than ever and cost less. We pride ourselves on listening to our customers in this current economic climate when every penny counts."
It comes after the main shopping centre announced plans for a student lock-in next month. The aim is to draw the town's 5,000 students to the town rather than Birmingham by offering extended opening hours for the evening.
Private operators NCP reduced its prices to £3 a day and free on Sundays last year, while the council has also cut fees on its own bays.
Transport chiefs have said the number of drivers parking in council-run car parks has almost doubled in six months since they were brought in. Long-stay daily charges were cut from £5 to £3 in January in a bid to draw in more users. The move has seen 18,241 tickets for all day parking sold in the first six months of the year compared to 9,475 last year.
Council chiefs said they would be looking to meet with private companies operating car parks in the town centre to discuss ways to pull in more people and boost trade.
