Extended parking charges including Sundays coming into effect

New changes to parking arrangements will come into effect at Cheshire East car parks in May.

Changes at council-operated car parks will include:

• Parking charges will be extended by four hours to cover the period 8am-10pm.
• Parking charges will be introduced on Sundays – based on the weekday tariffs for each car park.
• The introduction of a new tariff band that will allow motorists to purchase parking for up to 14 hours.
• An increase in some parking charges and permits, which reflects the tariffs charged by similar councils.

Councillor Mark Goldsmith, chair of Cheshire East Council's highways and transport committee, said: "When benchmarked against neighbouring councils, it is clear that our current parking charges are significantly lower. Nor do they reflect inflation as this is also only the second time parking charges have been increased since Cheshire East was formed in 2009.

"Coupled with the council's financial challenges, we have little option but to look at how we maximise our income and ensure that the charges we collect are sufficient to help cover the rising costs of maintaining, managing, and enforcing our car parks.

"Any surplus from parking charges is money that can be used to support other services that fall under the highways and transport committee, for example roads maintenance or Sunday and evening bus services."

Cllr Goldsmith added: "I am pleased that the council's 'free after 3pm' initiative remains in operation at one car park in each of our towns and villages, which we know is a popular initiative with residents and shoppers.

"Short stay on-street parking bays in many towns remain free too as we have not introduced charging for these facilities, unlike many other councils.

"Additional Sunday and evening bus services are also being introduced from 31 March as part of the council's bus service improvement plans."

The exact date the changes will come into effect in May is being finalised. Once finalised, the full details of the changes and the go live date will be available via the council's website and will be publicised in car parks.