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Leeds parking charges ‘among highest’
MOTORISTS in Leeds are hit with some of the highest car parking charges in the country, according to a new survey.
The level of costs are a postcode lottery with the amounts charged varying hugely between cities, according to consumer watchdog Which?
It carried out a survey covering 20 cities across the UK and found that outside London, Leeds and Birmingham topped the league for one hour’s on-street parking charging £2.60
Westminster in London was the most expensive at £4.40 while there was no charge in Coventry. Bradford charged 70p for one hour’s on-street parking.
A four-hour stay in a council car park in Westminster cost £18, £13.20 in Manchester and £7.80 in Leeds. Bradford was the cheapest at £3.50.
Peter Vicary-Smith, chief executive of Which?, said: “Parking charges vary enormously up and down the country and people want to be clear about where they can park and how much it will cost them.”
His advice to drivers was to check information about on-street and car park charges on council’s websites before a journey.
Councillors in Leeds have repeatedly clashed over the years about the level of car parking charges in the city.
The latest figures show that for 2010-11 the council is likely to receive £1.6m less in car parking income than it had budgeted for.
A recent report to the council’s executive board said: “This is largely as a result of reduced patronage of car parks and a reduction in the number of parking offences.”
The council’s proposed budget for 2011-12, due to be set tomorrow at a meeting in the Civic Hall, also projects a fall in car parking income.
A report outlining the figures says that car parking income, based on current trends, is projected to reduce by £817,000 as fewer motorists use council spaces.
A council spokeswoman said: “The council needs to strike a balance between encouraging people to the city centre, deterring congestion and keeping Leeds moving. Council run spaces only make up 18 per of the parking in Leeds, and we charge a market rate which works out cheaper than the private sector.
“This survey has only highlighted the most expensive areas in the very centre of Leeds and the vast majority of our spaces are much cheaper.”
david.marsh@ypn.co.uk
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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