AN increase in parking charges in Winchester car parks has been delayed by two weeks.

They had been set to go up by between 5-15 per cent on Monday October 5.

The details were in a public notice printed in the newspaper.

A spokesperson explained the new start date of October 19 was due to legal reasons and the required notice period, as well as the time for the updates to the parking machines to come into play.

Hampshire Chronicle:

It was unclear why this has not been factored in before the public notices were placed.

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.