Southampton City Council has approved the axing of free parking periods and are now charging on Sundays in district car parks as part of wider tariffs changes.
A cabinet meeting on Tuesday night approved the changes to tariffs and charging hours in 17 car parks in Bitterne, Portswood, Shirley and Woolston, which saw the two-hour free parking period removed.
As reported, the charging times in these car parks will also change from Monday to Saturday 8am to 6pm to Monday to Sunday 8am to 8pm.
These changes are not yet in effect, with Southampton City Council saying that April 1 is the launch date they are working towards.
READ MORE: Free car parking set for axe in 17 locations in Southampton
The local authority says that a benchmarking exercise was carried out to ensure tariffs were ‘kept at a competitive rate in line with the city centre and other local towns.’
With the free two-hour period removed, one hour at the 17 car parks will cost 50p and two hours will cost £1.
Car parks on Bright Glade, Commercial Street, West End Road and Woodley Road (North and South) will have maximum stays of two hours.
To park for three hours, it will cost drivers £1.50, while four, five and 12 hour stays will cost £2.50, £4 and £6 respectively.
Councillor Eamonn Keogh, cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “We have listened to the consultation and have reduced the period for charging from midnight to 8pm and we will be working with local schools close to the district centres to ensure drop off and pick up is not adversely impacted.
“This additional income does support our spending on home to school transport which has increased significantly in recent years, concessionary bus fares and the upgrade and maintenance of our highway network."
Southampton City Council confirmed that it will monitor and review parking demand and footfall between April and September to assess the impacts of the changes.
READ MORE: Scrapping free parking could 'kill local shops,' Shirley locals say
Shirley residents recently told the Echo they were concerned that the scrapping of free parking at district car parks could ‘kill local businesses.’
Bridgette Dias, supervisor at Make it Magic on Shirley High Street, said: “I’d love it to be free from the start but paying will stop people from Shirley and push them somewhere else.”
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