Dismay at huge hike in Blackpool parking charges

The cost of parking is due to rise by up to 65 per cent from next month – just in time for the Easter holidays and start of the season.

The increases are for both on-street parking and council-run car parks.

Business and hotel owners fear the rise will put off people from visiting the resort and will make it harder for people travelling in to work in town.

The Talbot Road multi-storey, Central, Bonny Street, East Topping Street and West Street are among the large car parks affected.

Motorhome owners will be asked to pay £10 to park overnight.

Resort bar owner and annual Jazz and Blues Festival organiser Stephen Pierre said: “It’s an obstacle and these hikes will potentially have a detrimental effect on Blackpool.

“People might choose not to pay it and go elsewhere instead. Nobody wants to pay £12 a day to park.”

The council said the on and off-street fee increases will help pay for improvements such as credit and debit card facilities, but critics claimed it will affect town centre businesses and tourism.

Resort hotelier Mick Grewcock described the hike as ‘silly’ and said: “The town centre is struggling enough without putting the prices up. It seems ridiculous to me when you have out of town places where parking is free.

“I don’t understand it when they are trying to attract people into Blackpool. It’s a bad move.”

In the Talbot Road multi-storey car park, which allows motorists to collect a coin-chip on their way in and pay on their way out by cash or card, fees will increase from £2.70 for up to two hours to £3, new prices published by the town hall yesterday revealed.

It will rise from £3.70 to £4.50 for up to four hours, and from £7 to £7.50 for up to six hours. Fees for eight, 12, 18, 24, and 96 hours will remain the same, though 48 hour parking will increase from £15 to £16 while 72 hour parking will rise from £17 to £18.

The same prices will apply at several other car parks too, including Central, Bonny Street, Chapel Street, East Topping Street, and West Street, while increases are planned for numerous other off-street car parks, including Lytham Road, Bolton Street, and Seasiders Way.

On street car parking in the town centre will also rise, from 50p to 60p for 20 minutes, 70p to 80p for 40, £1 to £1.20 for an hour, and £2 to £2.50 for 90 minutes.

Those hit hardest by the hikes will be motorhome owners planning to park for up to 12 hours at the Foxhall Village, Gynn Square, or Banks Street car parks.

They currently pay £6 but now face paying £10, while charges will also increase for coaches.

Coun Mark Smith, who is responsible for Parking, said: “The small increase will support the ongoing modernisation of the town’s parking facilities to offer a more user-friendly experience for residents and visitors.

“As part of our Strategic Parking Review last year, we asked for the views of car park users. The feedback was that they wanted better payment facilities rather than having to struggle to find change at coin only pay machines.

“As a result, we have been increasing the number of parking terminals which accept debit and credit cards.

“At present there are 27 of these parking machines within car parks, which have replaced coin only terminals.

“A further 11 will soon be installed so that there won’t be any coin only terminals in Blackpool Council’s car parks.

“All of this significant investment will make it easier and much more convenient for car park users and provide more modern parking facilities now and for the future.”

Coun Tony Williams, opposition leader at the town hall, said: “Businesses in Blackpool, especially retail, need all the help they can get. These quite large price increases are doing nothing to help the economy.

“The council see car parking as a cash cow and it’s a stealth tax. Not only will it affect retail, visitors will have second thoughts about staying longer.

“They should think more about the long term future of the retail and business economy in Blackpool.

“I did not see any of this being mentioned in the budget speech. I’m truly, truly annoyed and disappointed.”