It's been a while since we've mentioned car parking charges. That's because it's been a while since they've increased.
The price of parking has remained at the rates below since 2016. During the same period of static charges, footfall has not just fallen but collapsed. Is it therefore the case that parking charges influence footfall? At the margins, perhaps. We'd say there were other more structural reasons why people aren't visiting the town centre.
As inflation has increased, so parking has become more reasonable. Three hours of parking in all but two car parks in 2016 as today costs £1.50. Apply inflation to this, especially over the last three years, and the cost of parking would be 3p short of £2. We therefore 'save' 47p in real terms.
Thanks to inflation, parking charges have actually fallen in real terms. If footfall is so linked to parking charges, you'd therefore expect parking to have generated footfall. So, where is this footfall?
No one likes paying for parking. But let's not get carried away. An increase in parking costs is probably now overdue, with or without county hall's financial problems. Unless the rise is astronomic, we honestly don't believe it will hurt the town.
| Current rates | 1/2 hr | 1 hr | 3 hrs | All day |
| Rhuthun long stay† | £0.30 | £1.00 | £1.50 | £3.50 |
* The phrase used for Denbighshire by the Daily Post and others
† All paid-for car parks save Market Street and St Peter's Square
Tags:
Parking