Freeze on parking charges across Sandwell as review gets under way

The council said the review will carefully consider the impact any changes may have on the economies of Sandwell’s town centres and will also consider the need for income from parking charges to be able to be used to maintain highways and car parks. 

Cabinet Member for Environment and Highways, Councillor Keith Allcock, said “I am all too well aware of the need to ensure that our town centres are well maintained and welcoming places for local people to visit. 

"We provide car parks for visitors and shoppers in all our main centres, and I am keen to ensure that our parking charges are fair, compare well against our neighbouring authorities and help keep our town centres competitive as part of our strategic approach to encourage business and promote regeneration. 

"While we undertake this important review I am delaying all increases in our parking charges.”

The review follows on from reviews and changes to parking in other boroughs in the Black Country over the last year.

In Dudley, the council made a change to charge for parking for on-street parking and council car parks, having previously offered free parking for two hours.

The new charges which came in saw tiered charges for one hour parking from between £1.20 to £1.80, £2.50 for two hours and increases from £2 to £3 for three hours, from £3 to £4 for four hours parking and from £5 to £6 for all-day parking.

In Walsall, the price to park in Walsall town centre increased in some car parks including in Green Lane and Wisemore by around 45 per cent in June.

The first scheduled increase saw prices to park for up to two and four hours increase at the short stay car parks at Green Lane, High Street/Upper Rushall Street, Intown, Upper Rushall Street, Whittimere Street and Wisemore.

For up to two hours from Monday to Saturday, there was a 45 per cent increase from £1.10 to £1.60 while for up to four hours, there was an 18 per cent increase from £2.20 to £2.60.

The second scheduled increase saw prices to park for up to two and four hours increase for the long stay car parks at Ablewell/Tantarra Street, Bate Street, Day Street, Intown Row, Lower Rushall Street, Mountrath Street, Walhouse Road, Ward Street and Warewell Street.

For up to two hours from Monday to Saturday there was a 45 per cent increase from £1.10 to £1.60, while for up to four hours, there was an 18 per cent increase from £2.20 to £2.60 and an increase of 28 per cent from £2.50 to £3.20.

There was also a 10 per cent increase for season ticket prices for Bate Street and Day Street car parks, with a one month season ticket increasing from £50 to £55, a three month season ticket increasing from £150 to £165 and a six month season ticket increasing from £600 to £660.

And in Wolverhampton, parking charges were doubled at some of the city centre sites.

The new charges saw prices in at least two locations increase from £4.50 to £9 for a maximum stay of 12 hours.

The council said the charges were aligned with the vast majority of privately-owned car parks and reflect the increase in costs to run the service.