By Don Mort, Local Democracy Reporting Service
Hundreds of people raised formal objections to a council decision to scrap free parking at six sites around the city.
Charges were introduced at car parks in Horsforth, Guiseley, Garforth and Rothwell, as well as two sites in Wetherby.
Leeds City Council received more than 680 objections after publishing a legal notice required to carry out the move, designed to help plug a multi-million pound budget gap.
A council report said the objections had been over-ruled and the charges, which don’t apply to disabled blue badge holders, would continue.
The move was proposed last year and agreed as part of plans for the council to make more than £100m in savings this year.
A council report said: “Large scale informal consultations on the proposed car parking charges were undertaken in 2024 and reported.
“A total of 683 objections were received to the proposed Off-Street Parking Places Order.”
Objectors said the charges could lead to motorists parking on surrounding streets, unfairly penalise people on lower incomes and hit nearby businesses.
But the report said: “The council believes that the proposed charges are modest enough that they won’t cause a significant deterrent to customers.”
Fees apply at Fink Hill in Horsforth, Wilderness and Station Gardens in Wetherby, Barleyhill Road in Garforth, Marsh Street in Rothwell and Netherfield Road in Guiseley.
Drivers get up to one hour for free, then pay £1.15 for two hours, rising to a daily maximum of £3.65. Weekly tickets were set to be priced at £12.15.
The council argued that the fees would benefit people’s health by discouraging car use.
The report said: “The proposal supports health and well-being by nudging people towards using active travel such as walking and cycling to get to parks, rather than cars.
“The reduction in car use that could result as an outcome of this proposal would also contribute to cleaner, healthier air in the city.”
The full council report can be read in full here.
- More Horsforth news and views from WLD can be found here.
- WLD has been following local and national government cuts in West Leeds via its Cutswatch series here.
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