When will South Kesteven District Council’s charges increase at car parks in Stamford and Grantham?
Increased parking charges won’t be introduced until later this year.
South Kesteven District Council gave the green light to putting up prices for its pay-and-display car parks in Stamford and Grantham at a meeting in January.
Initially the council aimed to increase charges on April 1 in line with the new financial year.
But as the end of the month nears, the charges remain the same.
Deputy leader of South Kesteven District Council Richard Cleaver (Ind) explained issues with the legal side of introducing new charges are to blame for the delays.
What had been approved by the cabinet was unclear whether people paying for daytime parking would also have to pay throughout the evening.
“We need to make sure it is watertight legally so when someone gets a ticket it is issued correctly,” he said.
According to Coun Cleaver cabinet members will be ‘rethinking the Sunday charges’ at their next meeting in May.
Councillors also hope to add in new powers for tickets to be issued to drivers parking on green spaces.
Under the plans which were approved by cabinet earlier this year, buying an all day ticket in a Stamford long-stay car park will increase from £4.20 to £5 while in a short stay spending more than four hours could cost £8, an extra £2.60.
In Stamford the short stay car parks are in North Street, St Leonard’s Street, Bath Row, Scotgate and the long-stay spaces are in Cattlemarket and Wharf Road.
Currently drivers can park for free on Sundays and bank holidays as well as evenings but under the new plans it could cost up to £3.
Plans were drawn up for Grantham so that parking in a short stay car park for more than four hours would cost £7, except for Wharf Road where it would be £5, and drivers choosing Welham Street would pay £5 for over four hours. These charges would apply Monday to Saturday 7am to 7pm.
After the plans were announced a petition was set up by Stamford Town Councillor Amanda Wheeler opposing overnight and evening parking charges.
It has received 2,847 signatures.
Once the revised plans have been discussed at full council, people will be able to submit their views during a public consultation, which has to be held before any changes are made.