Changes to car park charges in Chichester District to be made from April

Following consultation with residents, businesses and stakeholders, the council will increase parking charges by inflation.

Further changes will include introducing charges in the council's rural and coastal car parks on Sundays where they are not already in place and altering charges within its long stay car parks in Chichester on Sundays to reflect the charges in place from Monday to Saturday.

Councillors also agreed to extend the charging period in Chichester's short stay car parks from 6pm until 8pm. The Cattle Market, Basin Road and the Avenue de Chartres car parks in Chichester will continue to remain free of charge after 6pm.

Free parking periods will remain in the council's rural and coastal car parks of between one and two hours, depending on location. For example, this means that for three hours parking at The Grange in Midhurst, customers will pay 10 pence extra, amounting to £1.20. The Sylvia Beaufoy car park in Petworth and Fernhurst car park will also remain free throughout the day. In Selsey's East Street car park the first hour remains free, while two hours will cost 80p. At the town's Marine and East Beach car parks customers will pay £2.20 for up to 10 hours between 1 April and 31 October. Northern Crescent in East Wittering will also remain free for the first hour while two hours will cost 80p.

The inflation increase will also apply to the heavily discounted season tickets which are in place across a number of the council's car parks.

The changes were approved at the Full Council meeting on Tuesday 23 January. 

"Like all other councils, we consider fees and charges each year, and our Fees and Charges Policy requires us to increase all charges in line with inflation as a minimum," says Councillor Harsha Desai, Cabinet Member for Growth and Place at Chichester District Council. "The amendments to the parking charges provide further clarity to customers on the charges in place.

"Parking charges provide essential income to support other key services provided by the council. This is more important than ever, at a time when there is an increased need for many of our services. Our policy is that car park users should cover the cost of parking provision.

"Parking charges also help to encourage turnover in our car parks; encourage alternative forms of travel; and provide improvements and enhancements to our car parks, including parking incentives.

"Even with these changes, our car parking charges are both fair and competitive. Our rural and coastal car parking charges continue to be some of the lowest and most competitive in the country, with free parking periods of between one and two hours, and the Sylvia Beaufoy car park in Petworth and Fernhurst car park remaining absolutely free, and of course there is free evening parking in the majority of our car parks."

Car parking proposals are always discussed by the Chichester District Parking Forum — which is made up of local businesses, councillors, community groups and other local partners. The changes have also been widely consulted upon, including notices being placed in the affected car parks; notices in the local press; contacting stakeholders; and the information has been shared on the council's website and social media channels.

Date of Release: 24 January 2024                                                        

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