Parking fees to rise at Talbot multi-storey car park and on Blackpool Promenade as council imposes new charges

Motorists will face higher charges to park in Blackpool town centre, on the Promenade and in parts of South Shore after the council unveiled new fees.

Town hall chiefs have hiked up ticket prices at the Talbot Road and West Street multi-storey car parks, which will be in line with charges for the new multi-storey car park due to open on Central Drive and a new car park on Dickson Road.

It means two hours of parking will cost £4.50 in future, up from £3.50, with longer stays increasing to £12 from £11 for eight hours. Increased charges will also be introduced on the Promenade, Watson Road and Bond Street with two hours going up to £3 from £2.50. The council said the increases were necessary to invest in improved parking. It had been decided not to introduce whole-scale increases but to focus on areas of high demand.

A report says: "The increases at Talbot Road and West Street multi-storey car parks, and a revision of tariffs for on-street parking along the Promenade, Watson Road and Bond Street will offset some of the significant costs incurred for the continued upgrade of the parking infrastructure."

It adds: "Any wide-scale increases at this point are more likely to result in a downturn in patronage and could harm town centre trading and tourism recovery plans." Instead, the "proposed increases are limited to selected car parks and on-street parking areas where there is high visitor demand."

Council leader Coun Lynn Williams recently revealed some drivers opted to risk getting a parking fine in Blackpool in order to park close to events, instead of parking legally. However, the hike in parking fees has angered Conservative opposition councillors who warned they would hit struggling businesses.

Coun Diane Mitchell, who represents Waterloo ward, said: "This is a poor decision by the Labour-run council to increase charges yet again. Businesses in the Bond Street and Waterloo Road area are already struggling with difficulties around parking. This will only make the situation worse and drive business away from our brilliant local businesses, B&Bs and shops."

Conservative group leader Coun Paul Galley added: "It makes no economic sense to increase charges in one of our most deprived areas.  The council should be lowering charges here not increasing them." 

How parking costs are increasing

• On-street increases -Promenade, Watson Road and Bond Street: One hour increases to £1.80 from £1.50; two hours to £3 from £2.50; four hours to £6 from £5; eight hours to £9 from £8; and 10 hours to £11 from £10. 
• Multi-storey increases -Talbot Road, West Street, Central and Dickson Road: Two hours increases to £4.50 from £3.50; three hours to £6 from £5; eight hours to £12 from £11. Long stay (more than £12 hours) remains the same.