Powys County Council Car Park Review Recommendations
4 September 2024
Alongside a politically balanced membership of councillors, the cross-party review group also included representatives from town councils and local businesses where car parks are sited. The review was led by independent, impartial consultants, AtkinsRealis.
As well as car parking tariffs, the review considered how best to manage all the council's car parks, town centre footfall, the impacts and benefits of local active travel schemes, available resources, the needs of the local communities and the council's Sustainable Transport Hierarchy.
Now the review has been completed, the report to be taken to cabinet and discussed by the scrutiny committee recommends that the council:
- Reinstate the 1hr parking charge to long-stay car parks in the towns where there are no short-stay car parks (Builth Wells, Crickhowell, Llanidloes, Machynlleth, Presteigne and Ystradgynlais)
- Increase the tariffs for 2-4hr and all-day parking charges to mitigate the financial pressures of reinstating the 1hr parking option in the specified long-stay car parks
- Review options for introducing charging in off-street council car parks where currently no charging structure exists
- Review options for amending car park permits to be valid for specific, single car parks, with an option to upgrade for use in multiple car parks in the county
- Free parking for events will cease unless the budget can accommodate all associated costs
"Although delivering sustainable transport in rural areas is challenging, Powys County Council is committed to an approach which achieves a reduction in car use and recognises the need to provide safe and convenient parking within our towns." Explains Cllr Jackie Charlton, Cabinet Member for a Greener Powys. "However, this comes at a cost. Powys County Council is currently forecasting a funding shortfall, based on national fiscal analysis, of more than £9.6million for the next financial year with that figure rising to £50.9 million or more over the next four years.
"Sustainable Powys is an approach the council is taking to be innovative and pro-active to re-think how services are delivered to meet future budget pressures. We want a council of the future that delivers quality local government services for our communities with better outcomes. This need to be affordable to deliver for our residents and businesses, and affordable for us to deliver and sustain for future generations is a key part in reaching our goals for Net Zero by 2030.
"We believe the recommendations put forward from this car park review deliver for both the communities and the county council going forward.
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