Councils suffer dent in Staffordshire car park takings

Takings from off-street car parks in Staffordshire have plunged by up to eight per cent in the past year as shoppers rein in spending.

Bosses at Stafford Borough Council had expected to make £2.3million but are now budgeting for a £186,000 shortfall. They are blaming the struggling economy, ageing population and supermarkets offering up to three hour free stays. In Cannock finance chiefs expect income to be down two per cent on last year with large numbers parking at town centre stores instead.

Many use car parks at Asda, in Avon Road, and Morrisons, in Mill Street.

But Lichfield District Council is bucking the trend with takings up two per cent for the first six months of the financial year.

Mike Smith, deputy leader of Stafford Borough Council, said today: "We had forecast our income from off-street parking to remain the same as last year but there has been a drop.

"It's down to a combination of things, and Stafford is not alone in this.

"Obviously there's the downturn, and more people are buying on the internet these days.

"Then there's the fact people are coming into town and parking at Tesco for three hours, or other supermarkets for two hours.

"We also have an ageing population and many people don't use their cars, they have a bus pass and come into town that way."

Cannock Chase Council leader George Adamson said a "small reduction" in parking revenue was a decent result as authorities across the country struggle to attract shoppers to town centres. Councillor Adamson said developments like the £56million Gateway scheme in Hednesford, which includes an 80,000sq ft Tesco, may also pull people away from Cannock.

Lichfield's cabinet member for operational services, Councillor Louise Flowith, said: "We are hopeful our car park income will come in on target."