Councillors halt plans to increase parking charges across Sheffield

Sheffield councillors have put the brakes on plans to increase parking charges around the city.

Last month Coun Lewis Dagnall, cabinet member for environment and streetscene, announced a raft of changes to meters and permits.

But a number of Liberal Democrat councillors have put a halt on the idea. Under council rules, if five councillors object, a decision can’t go ahead until it has been considered by a scrutiny committee.

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Lib Dem Coun Ian Auckland, shadow cabinet member for transport, is the initial objector and has been backed by councillors Penny Baker, Gail Smith, Vickie Priestley and Martin Smith.

They want scrutiny to “examine the predicted environmental, financial, commercial and retail impacts of the proposals in the report”.

Under the new charges. drivers would have to pay up to 30 percent more to park around the city and people who own more than one car will also have to pay more. A standard first residential permit would rise to £46.80.

It is the first time in seven years the permits have been raised and it comes as the council plan to crack down on high polluting vehicles.

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Drivers of low-polluting ‘green’ vehicles or carers would no longer have to pay parking permits.

Coun Lewis Dagnall, cabinet member for environment and streetscene, said: “Even with increases, our parking is still reasonably-priced and much cheaper than many other core cities.”

The economic and environmental wellbeing scrutiny committee will discuss it at a meeting on Wednesday.

The full changes, set to come into force from April 1, are:

Parking will increase from £1 for the first half hour to £1.30 from Monday to Saturday from 8am to 8.30pm, or £2 for up to four hours or on Sundays (up from £1 per day) in central zone one.

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Parking in central zone two will increase from £1 per hour to £1.30 per hour from 8am to 8.30pm Mondays to Saturdays; £2 from 4,30pm to 8.30pm and £2 for Sunday parking.

Parking in central zone three will now be £1.30 per hour or £6.50 for all day parking, or £2 from 4,30pm to 8.30pm and £2 for Sunday parking.

Off-street parking rates will also increase by 30p per hour; short-stay all-day tariffs will increase to £5 a day and long-stay tariffs to £6.50 per day.

Dispensations and bay suspensions will also increase from £10 per day to £15 per day – the same as Rotherham and £5 cheaper than Doncaster.