PARKING charges in Winchester car parks are set to go up by between 5-15 per cent on Monday October 5.

The city council has decided the increase for all its Winchester car parks.

The only prices being frozen are the cost of annual season tickets in St Peters, Tower Street and Gladstone Street which will remain at £2,760.

The increase comes as the city council is seeking to close a £10 million funding shortfall caused by the coronavirus crisis. Usage of car parks, which collapsed in the spring, has recently recovered to around 75 per cent of pre-lockdown.

In the central car parks the rises mean an hour which had cost £1.40 will go up to £1.50; up to two hours increases from £2.80 to £2.90; and up to four hours from £5.60 to £5.80. The car parks are The Brooks, Middle Brook Street, Colebrook Street, Guildhall Yard, Friarsgate, Jewry Street, Cossack Lane, Upper Brook Street, St Peters, Tower Street and Gladstone Street.

In the ‘inner’ car parks the rises mean an hour which had cost 70p will go up to 80p; up to two hours increases from £1.40 to £1.50; and up to four hours from £2.80 to £2.90. The car parks are Chesil Street Multi-Storey, Cattle Market, Worthy Lane and Coach Park.

The increases were agreed in February by the Lib Dem administration to address the air quality problem.

It was also needed to help tackle the £19 million hole in council finances left by the Conservatives, said Cllr Martin Tod, cabinet member, service quality and transformation: “We’re making sure that people can continue to park more cheaply. At the moment, most people are parking right in the centre. If people who want to pay cash are worried about finding the extra 10p or 20p we’re planning to charge, there are plenty of spaces in Worthy Lane and Chesil Street where they can park and walk to save money – anything between 70p and £7.70 depending on how long they park.”

The council is also looking at making Covid-safe parking cheaper. More people want to pay by phone so the council is working to scrap the 30p fee. Cllr Tod said: “This means everyone paying by phone to park in the centre will actually be paying less than they would have before.

“Finally, we’ve also made sure that most of the town centre car parking spaces within walking distance of the centre will stay free on evenings and Sundays. Only people who drive into the one way system because they decide to park in the Air Quality Management Area will be paying extra.”

People who park and walk and stay outside the Air Quality Management Area will go free. And, of course, people with a blue badge who can’t park and walk so easily will also continue to park for free in the city centre as they have before.