COUNCILLORS have voiced their concerns over plans to hike up the price of car parking across Wyre Forest next year.

Budget proposals to help close Wyre Forest District Council’s funding gap were discussed by the Cabinet on Tuesday (December 21).

Under the plans, car parking season tickets for a full year, which can be used for all Wyre Forest car parks, would be increased by 50 per cent.

The current charge for one month is £45, which would go up to £65 inclusive of VAT. Six month tickets would go from £250 to £350, and 12 month tickets from £400 to £600.

Senior citizen tickets will also go up from £175 to £200. Bromsgrove Street tickets will go up from £36 a month to £40.

Pay and display charges are also going up by 10 per cent. 

Councillor Mary Rayner, Wyre Forest District Council’s cabinet member for finance and capital portfolio said: "They're increasing because we've got to increase our car parking charges overall because the car parks are supposed to be self supporting. That's why they've been increased to that level."

Lib Dem councillor Fran Oborski said: "My concern is I can understand perhaps the ten pence charge increase on the hourly rate. But I think the main season ticket, the all car parks one, I can't see anybody paying that sort of increase and at a time when the retail sector is really suffering. I hope I'm wrong, but I really can't see us getting this expected income from season ticket holders.

"I think Bromsgrove Street might be popular but I can't see us selling many of the ordinary season tickets because that's a tremendous hike."

Following the meeting, Marcus Hart, leader of the Wyre Forest Conservative Group said: “At a time when our high streets and small businesses are really suffering, now is not the time to increase car park charges by such an extortionate amount."

Proposals will now be scrutinised by the Strategic Review Panel in January 2022.