Car parking charges set to be introduced in Breckland towns

Users of 30 council car parks across Attleborough, Dereham, Swaffham, Thetford and Watton will have to pay for parking by autumn 2025 if a recommendation to Breckland councillors is approved next week.

Breckland said that ongoing budget pressures were forcing it to find alternative measures to pay the current bill for upkeep of the car parks, which amounts to £450,000 a year.

Each market town would have one car park offering the first hour’s parking for free, with tariffs between 50p and £1 for the first chargeable hour across the district. 

The cost will then increase by about 40p per hour.  

The Cherry Tree car park, in Dereham, is one of the parking lots that will be subject to tariffs in 2025. (Image: Newsquest)

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The cost to park for an entire day would range from £2.50 in Watton to £3.80 in Thetford.

Charges would be enforced from Monday to Saturday between 8am and 6pm, with a flat-fee of £1.20 for Sundays.

The council will allow free parking to be offered during a select number of days for each town to support local events on an annual basis.

Ms O'Mahony said that the decision was not made lightly, and that this has been a work in progress for some time. (Image: Breckland Council)

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In the council's Car Park Strategy Report, results of recent surveys were used to support the decision. 

One result showed a high usage in the first hour of parking, reflecting the number of users visiting a town for a short period. 

The report also showed that car parks were also being used for longer stays such as commuting to places like Norwich, which prevented others who wish to visit the town from using those those spaces.

Maxine O'Mahony, chief executive of Breckland Council, said: "We have taken this decision very seriously.

"We've seen a shift in commuter patterns, which has changed since Covid, and we need to review our parking strategies to ensure we meet the requirements of residents and businesses," she said.

Only 10pc of councils across the country offer free parking, including Breckland, which is also the only authority in Norfolk "with a significant car park provision that does not charge for parking." 

Paul Hewett, executive member for property, projects and procurement, said that the cost burden should not be carried by those who do not use the service. 

Paul Hewett has said that the tariffs are moderate, and the burden shouldn't be spread over everyone. (Image: Breckland Council)

"It's not right that everyone pays. The tariffs mean that we can allocate money from council taxes towards other services, like vulnerability services.

“We recognise money is tight for many people right now, so this is not an easy decision, but by charging just a small fee for parking we would not only protect our public car parking facilities for the long term, but also our ability to invest in other vital community services.” 

The council said the charges would increase the availability of spaces in the district's car parks for all users, which would increase the footfall for the town centre. 

It would also protect the council's financial resource, which could be at risk of being stopped altogether. 

Ralph Burton, assistant director of property and infrastructure, said that in a survey done towards the end of last year, residents and businesses "have appreciated that you can get a car parking space."

Ms O'Mahony said: "We're not trying to make money from this. We expect these rates will be sufficient to cover the cost of maintenance and upkeep of our car parks."

Mr Hewett said: "We think it's quite moderate, if you think that going to Norwich, you'll pay £4 or £5, whereas with these rates, you're paying a quarter of the cost of a cup of coffee.

"We want to grow our towns and protect our high streets. We can no longer offer everything for free," said Mr Hewett.

Breckland cabinet members are being recommended to approve the parking charges at a meeting on Monday July 15. There would then be a period of consultation in the towns.

More details of the proposals are available at www.breckland.gov.uk/car-parks/policychange.