Decision details

Removal of Evening Charges

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: No

Purpose:

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Growth outlining the proposal to remove all evening charges (18:00 to Midnight) from On Street and Off Street parking facilities following a statutory consultation

Decision:

(i)  Remove parking charges from all on-street pay and display bays between 18:00 and 20:00 and all Council off-street car parks between 18:00 and Midnight.

(ii)  To commit to proposing the re-implementation of evening charges in the Council’s 5 Multi-Storey car parks from 1st June 2023.

(iii)  Suspend parking charges on Sundays in all Council off-street car parks between 12:00 and 18:00 until 02/01/2022

Reasons for the decision:

To boost the local evening and Sunday business economy following the Covid19 pandemic by encouraging additional visitors to the City Centre where they might otherwise be discouraged due to the parking charges in place.

Alternative options considered:

1.  To not remove evening charges.  Visitors may not choose Southampton City Centre as an evening destination.

 

2.  To not commit to proposing the re-implementation of evening charges in the Council’s 5 Multi-storey car parks 2022/23.  The Council will not have a means to manage any developing trends in which parking is not available to visitors who would benefit the evening economy as they are occupied by other user groups.

 

3.   To not suspend parking charges on Sundays on a temporary basis

Southampton City Centre may not stand out as a clear destination for visitors as the economy reopens following the Covid19 pandemic

Report author: Richard Alderson

Publication date: 19/07/2021

Date of decision: 19/07/2021

Decided at meeting: 19/07/2021 - Cabinet

Accompanying Documents: