By Don Mort, local democracy reporter
Council bosses are set to press ahead with new charges at six car parks after being challenged to reconsider the move.
It means free parking will be scrapped at sites in Horsforth, Guiseley, Garforth, Wetherby, and Rothwell.
Leeds City Council said the new fees would help plug a multi-million pound gap in its finances.
But a public backlash led to a successful appeal by councillors for the decision to be reviewed.
Now the original decision is expected to be confirmed by the council’s executive board at a meeting on Wednesday (December 11).
A report to the meeting said the council faced a potential overspend over more than £20m so far this financial year.
The new charges were expected to raise £335,000 per year in revenue, but the annual income could be higher, the report suggests.
It said: “If the proposals are not progressed, this would place a further pressure on next year’s budget amounting to £414,000.”
A “call-in” of the charges proposal, meaning it was referred for reconsideration, was approved by a council scrutiny board on November 21.
A report setting out how councillors’ concerns were addressed will be discussed at Wednesday’s meeting.
Worries included drivers parking on roads around the car parks to avoid paying.
Councillors said the charges could trade for businesses in district centres and were concerned over whether people were consulted properly.
Under the plans, blue badge holders would be exempt from payments. Motorists would get up to one hour for free, then pay £1.15 for two hours, rising to a daily maximum of £3.65. Weekly tickets would cost £12.15.
The six affected car parks are: Fink Hill in Horsforth, Netherfield Road in Guiseley, Barleyhill Road in Garforth, Marsh Street in Rothwell and Wilderness and Station Gardens in Wetherby.
This will mean more parking in nearby streets or more people not visiting these areas.
A complete waste of time and money.
You will probably require an app to use these facilities which again will,in many cases,preclude older people from using these car parks.
Fink Hill is a prime spot for children’s play, sand, play area, ice creams etc and shopping, your going to crucify the area. Then the traders will be complaining about lack of business and turnover in the local area, customers of the park will simply go somewhere else, bad idea. Who addresses the parking fees? Where do they come up with how much to charge, based on what? If I have to pay I will not be using that park. Simple
Doesn’t sound extortianate, maybe it will encourage more people to walk into these towns?
Do you want me to walk 6 miles to go to this park, rather not. death to local parks, the council can go shove their parking charges where the sun dont shine, council tax is going up again to the max. So no i wont pay parking charges for something that is free
Yeh cause I’ll would love to walk 8 miles to get there.
I’m deeply disappointed and disheartened by the decision to introduce parking charges at these car parks. As a parent, I regularly take my children to local parks and green spaces to encourage them to play outdoors and stay active. However, this move feels like a penalty for families trying to enjoy simple, wholesome activities.
By charging for parking, you’re discouraging families like mine from visiting these areas, especially during a time when the cost of living is already stretching us thin. I refuse to pay for the privilege of letting my children play in the park, and I will sadly have to reconsider visiting these locations altogether.
This decision goes against the principles of promoting community health and well-being. I urge the council to rethink this approach and prioritize accessible spaces for all families.
Well said and I totally agree!
It’s another tax. Another way for our incompetent councillors to raise more money to waste on more of their personal virtue signalling projects. Don’t use the car parks. The Counillors have encouraged you to park on the near by roads. Or, shop elsewhere. The Councillors have encouraged you to take your business elsewhere The people running the show haven’t a clue, nor an ounce of common sense. Don’t play their game.
Maybe councillors should look at their own spending habits and budgets I e., lunches, dinners, events, free parking at work (!) concessions and perks ….
Another nail in the coffin for smaller, local businesses.
I’ve said that as well, disgusting!
So this is going to impact the cricket club,the bowling club, people exercising their dogs and themselves, the council are bringing in parking charges everywhere, the chevin and golden acre park to name just two. I have heard that they are looking at cutting back on maintenance of bowling greens as well, so another activity will be curtailed. These charges will impact the health of lots of citizens of leeds and beyond. Its as if councils are trying to overwhelm the nhs with more sick people, everyone will be sat at home slowly dieing from inactivity and obesity.
In light of the fact that “Leeds City Council said the new fees would help plug a multi-million pound gap in its finances.” these charges appear proportionate and necessary. But to read some here, this is the end of the world!
£1.15 doesn’t sound a lot for 3 hours, especially compared to what so many people regularly pay for coffee shop coffees, brand new phones and phone plans, and complex tv and streaming packages, for example.
So-basically £1.15 for 3 hours car parking -stop whinging. Leeds City Council like the majority of Councils across the country is bankrupt and needs every penny it can find
Don’t you idiots think people are paying enough? You want folk too come too Horsforth etc and then you brainless tits charge people for doing so! How about we reduce the 22 Parish Councillors that are paid for by the taxpayers of Horsforth! By the way why do we need so many? Then we might just save some money. Has for the council well every year from Jan March you lot go on a spending spree yep you do! Why so you get the same if not more money from central goverment! Hundreded of thousands of pounds are spent like water between Jan and April in all departments! I should know I was a school burser! It’s not that we don’t have the money its the fools who spend it like water that need sacking! Like my gran would say best people too put in charge of the finances is a women. Why because she would not part with a penny unkess she knew were it was going!