We’d be ‘absolutely stuffed’ if free parking is scrapped, says…

East Riding Council’s policy of keeping some of its car parks free may not last in the coming years as pressure mounts to save money, a councillor has warned. Cottingham North’s Cllr Ros Jump said any future moves to introduce charging in free car parks would be a blunt instrument and undermine efforts to boost high street trade. She added she wanted local political groups to make their position on the policy clear ahead of control of the council coming up for grabs in May’s local elections. The independent councillor’s comments come ahead of the East Riding budget meeting on Thursday, February 9 where the authority’s spending and its fees, charges and taxes will be decided. LDRS understands the ruling Conservatives currently have no plans to introduce charges in free car parks and the group has committed to hold existing ones at their current rates. Read more: Plans to freeze parking charges despite proposed council tax hikes A Car Parking Review Panel recommended putting off the introduction of charges where they did not already exist for two years, amid the aftermath of the recession beginning in 2008. The panel recommended their introduction after two back-to-back quarters of economic growth but the charges have never been implemented and were ruled out again last year. Anlaby, Brough, Cottingham, Hessle and Withernsea are among the places in the East Riding that currently have free council car parks. But the draft budget published on the council’s website floats the introduction of charges as one way to bring in extra cash. The introduction of charges at free car parks is one option to bring in extra cash proposed in East Riding Council’s draft budget but they are believed to have been ruled out at the moment It states that without council tax hikes or substantial spending cuts the authority is forecast to face a £36m financial black hole by the middle of this decade. The introduction of charges and the abolition of 30 minutes free parking elsewhere are included in a menu of savings options offered in the budget. The draft budget states: “The conditions to introduce charges in free car parks have now been met. This option would result in higher charges being implemented in July 2023, with the projected income for the first year offset by the implementation costs.” Cllr Jump said the blanket introduction of parking fees across the
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