Free Sunday car parking, freezing the cost of car park season tickets, and replacing the 24-hour parking charge with a reduced fee of £7 - are part of a package of changes to parking fees that aim to support investment in council owned car parks, support staff of Brentwood town centre businesses and encourage more residents and visitors to visit our high streets on Sundays.
As a part of the budget setting process for 2024/25, at this week’s meeting of the Finance, Assets, Investments & Recovery Committee (20 December), a range of changes to parking fees were agreed that include:
- Introducing all day FREE Sunday Car Parking in the William Hunter Way, Chatham Way, Multi-Storey Car Park and Town Hall Car Parks and a free 3–hour parking limit at the Shenfield Car Parks
- Freezing the price of car park season tickets
- Freezing the cost of parking in the Multi-Storey Car Park in Coptfold Road
- All car parks will continue to offer 30 minutes free car parking
- Removing the 24–hour parking charge and replacing it with a reduced fee for parking 6 hours or more of £7.00
- All other parking fees are set to increase and have been rounded to the nearest pound or 50p (excluding the Multi-Storey Car Park in Coptfold Road
- Working with ‘Brentwood Connected’ to look at schemes to support staff of businesses in Shenfield and Ingatestone with trying to find lower cost places to park.
The Council is also investigating ways to improve the payment systems currently on offer in the Council’s car parks with the aim of bringing in new ANPR camera technology that will mean residents pay for their parking on exit and not up front, as they do at the moment. Payment options will include contactless, by app and cash. In addition, the Council will look to improve and maintain the car parks themselves. These changes to parking charges will financially support the investment required in car parks and new technology.
Cllr David Kendall, Chair of the Finance, Assets, Investment and Recovery Committee said, “We wanted to deliver free Sunday Car Parking in many of our car parks for residents and visitors to our town centres and also to provide more support for staff who work in our town centres with a reduction in the cost of all day parking and a freeze on season ticket prices. Whilst there have been increases in some of our car parking charges, we have kept the 30 minutes free and frozen the charges for the Multi-Storey Car Park, which is currently underused.
“We have listened to residents and the local business community and come up with a package that provides practical support and investment in our car parks and their infrastructure to make sure they are fit for purpose. These changes to parking fees will not happen before April 2024."