The Council are recognising tough trading conditions for businesses and the continuing squeeze on household incomes, by proposing that car park charges are frozen for a fourth year.
The Council are also highlighting key facts about the plans, with car parking in Bath always a hot topic with local residents.
- All car park charges throughout the district have been frozen since 2010;
- 70% of on-street parking charges in Bath have been frozen since 2010;
- Free parking will continue in those car parks that are already free, such as South Road, Midsomer Norton;
- In a parking charge comparison of twenty similar sized or slightly larger locations, Bath is either much lower than or exactly average on a range of tariffs;
- All residents, traders and visitor permits frozen in 2014/15.
Councillor Caroline Roberts (Lib-Dem, Newbridge), Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “Whilst some town halls have hiked their parking charges to balance their budgets, Bath & North East Somerset Council has worked hard to deliver back office efficiencies, avoid the car park charge increases that hit businesses as well as their customers in the wallet and frozen all car park charges since 2010 together with the vast majority of on street charges.
“We read newspaper stories that parking charges are too high. This view is not justified by the facts. Firstly, our charges are either much lower or exactly average on a range of tariffs compared to twenty similar sized or slightly larger locations.
“Secondly, we’d be seeing high void rates in our shops. The opposite is true since our empty shop rate of three per cent in the Council’s commercial estate compares with a fourteen per cent rate nationwide. Our charges are set at a fair level to encourage favourable trading conditions.
“Every location is different with complex transport challenges. In Bath, there is limited road space, narrow roads and we are a major tourist destination. The Council cannot set parking charges at rock bottom because this will result in extra congestion as more drivers all head towards the same car parks.
“For example, there is no reason for someone who works in the city centre environs to drive into the centre, adding to congestion and park all-day in Charlotte Street when a Park & Ride bus is available from £2.60 return. We must ensure that our tariffs challenge travelling habits to become more sustainable.”
Fergus Hobbs, Chairman of Bath Retail Landlords Forum, said: “It is very helpful to retail businesses in Bath that Councillors are continuing to freeze car parking charges. We share the Council’s aim that Bath should be renowned as a walkable city. The upcoming Transport Strategy will be key to setting out how such a pedestrian-first city centre will work in terms of car parking.
“An expanded outer ring of Park & Ride spaces complemented by an adequate provision of inner circle car parks can provide the most favourable conditions for a flourishing, walkable city centre.”
