East Suffolk Council’s GLI administration unveiled their budget proposals for 2025/26 at its Cabinet meeting yesterday. Plans include significant increases to parking charges across the districts and notably to coastal towns and resort car parks.
The proposed changes are forecast to provide an additional £1.8m of income, with £1m to be earmarked in 2025/26 for re-investment into new pay and display machines allowing contactless payment, improved signage, EV charging points and improved cycle facilities.
Cllr Mark Jepson, Leader of East Suffolk Conservatives said: ‘During our period of administration we sought a consistent and fair approach to motorists across the district, while I recognise the administrations priorities are the environment they must be balanced against the cost of living challenges our residents face and supporting a thriving economy which is one of their priorities, I do not see these significant increases in parking fees helping either our residents or our businesses.’
Cllr Jepson was not alone in his concerns. At the Cabinet meeting Cllr Mike Deacon, Labour ward member for western Felixstowe said:
“I’ll be honest, I was quite shocked when I received these papers and saw the proposed increases especially in our resort car parks. My first reaction was ‘Are they trying to kill the tourist trade in Felixstowe?’ and I really mean that.”
The transferal of parking enforcement powers from Suffolk Constabulary to individual local authorities took place in April 2020. The previous Conservative administration of East Suffolk Council at the time pledged to conduct a detailed parking review to evaluate the changing demand and meet local need. The review aimed for a consistent approach to charging across the district.
Cllr Jepson challenged Cllr Tim Wilson, Green party councillor and Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration. Cllr Jepson highlighted his observations which appears to penalise coastal resorts specifically as they appear to target car parks where visitors to the resorts will be trying to park. He asked if the current administration is seeking to deter visitors or indirectly discouraging the use of vehicles, as the effect is likely to be increased pollution as drivers try to identify on street parking rather than paying the significant hike in prices, this will lead to traffic jams and perhaps a discard of where cars are prohibited from being parked.
These planned increases, begs the question, will it be a choice of paying for parking or contributing to the local economy?
