Parking charges set to rise in Harborough and Lutterworth

Motorists will have to pay £1.50 to park for up to two hours in Market Harborough – a 50 per cent hike from £1 – as the cash-strapped council acts to increase charges.

The charge is jumping from £1.50 to £2 for up to three hours, from £2.50 to £3 for up to four hours and from £6 to £7.50 for over four hours in all council-run car parks in the town.

The controversial move to hit drivers in the pocket in a bid to generate vital revenue was agreed at Harborough District Council’s Cabinet meeting last night (Monday).

Parking charges will go up at all council-owned car parks in Harborough district as part of the struggling authority’s budget setting process.

The new tariffs will come into effect at the start of the next financial year in April.

It will be the first time parking charges have increased in Harborough since 2017.

“In the last year the council has seen a significant loss of revenue due to the coronavirus lockdowns and reduced travel.

“The increase in parking charges is also set against the context of Harborough District Council needing to address an annual budget gap of about £4 million,” said the council.

In Lutterworth, charges will increase from 60p to £1 for up to one hour and from £1 to £1.50 for up to two hours.

They will go up from £1.50 to £2 for up to three hours, from £2.50 to £3 for up to four hours and from £4 to £5 for over four hours.

Long stay car parks, in Market Harborough, will increase from the current fee of £2 for up to four hours to £2.50 - and from £4 to £5 for over four hours.

Cllr Paul Dann, Harborough council’s Cabinet lead for corporate and regulatory services, said: “We understand this is a challenging time and the increase to parking charges has not been taken lightly.

“We face increasing costs to provide the service and maintain our car parks across the district.

“It is important that we provide good, clean and safe parking facilities to ensure a strong local economy that works for shoppers, businesses, and visitors.”

New pay and display machines have been bought by the council with improved payment options including contactless and card payment, and Pay By Phone which allows users to top up their stay without returning to their vehicle.

Electric vehicle charging points have also been introduced to some of its car parks.

Cllr Dann added: “The impact of the coronavirus pandemic is deep and far-reaching.

“While increasing charges is not something we would ideally want to do, it is necessary if we are to continue to provide the essential services that our council taxpayers want.”

The council said that when compared to other market towns the charges are comparable or less than neighbouring areas.

Parking charges also generate income for the local area from visitors coming in from outside the district.

The agreed charges will now be incorporated into the 2021/22 budget report being considered by Harborough council on Monday February 22.

But Cllr Phil Knowles, who heads up the Liberal Democrats on Harborough council, insisted: “This is a huge increase.

“Major questions will be asked about such a huge hike in charges in one fell swoop at a time when so many of our businesses are on a knife edge and footfall into the town centre is at an all-time low.”