Lib Dems Blast Mayor's Mammoth Parking Charge Rises

10.25.40am GMT Wed 21st Mar 2007

Michael Headley and Bedford Borough Lib Dems have slammed Mayor Branston's 95% car parking charge increases

Figures released by the Liberal Democrats have revealed that the cost of parking in Bedford Borough Council's Town Centre car parks has increased by an average of 95% since Mayor Branston was elected.

Worst hit are users of Lurke Street car park, where the cost of parking for two hours has more than doubled, rising from 60 pence in 2003 to £1.40, the new charge which will be introduced from April 1st. Charges have rocketed across all Borough Council car parks, however, as the cost of shopping in Bedford rises ever higher. Over the period in which the charges have increased by 95%, inflation has risen by just 10%.

Commenting on the issue, Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Michael Headley said:

"These astonishing figures reveal the extent to which Mayor Branston has forced Town Centre shoppers to suffer with parking charges soaring. Not only has Council Tax risen by 31%, but residents are paying more into council coffers through increased parking charges."

"We want local residents to enjoy visiting their town centre and using local shops, and do not want to force them away to other towns further afield. Sadly, the Mayor's huge parking charge increases can only serve to do exactly that. It is only by fostering a co-ordinated local transport system which includes fair parking charges in addition to sustainable forms of transport such as the park and ride scheme and high quality public transport that the Town Centre will be allowed to reach its full potential. It is not environmentally friendly to encourage people to drive to towns further afield."

"The Council recently took the bizarre decision to spend £10,000 on advertising the Town Centre Car Parks. If the Mayor and his Cabinet are concerned at the low numbers of people using the Council's car parks, then I suspect that local residents would rather they brought an end to spiralling parking charges "