Fay Jones MP has written to Powys County Council requesting changes to car parking ahead of the countdown to Christmas.

Following the recent hike in parking fees across Powys towns, Powys County Council has seen an unexpected rise in income. In the budget monitoring report for April to June period, the Highways, Transport and Recycling service forecast that they will make £314,000 from car parking fees by the end of next March. This is well over the £50,000 they had originally estimated.

Miss Jones feels this extra income could be used to subsidise free parking on Saturdays in the approach to Christmas, which would be of huge benefit to businesses in towns. 

Miss Jones has previously spoken out on the parking price increase, challenging the Council to resume one-hour parking.

The ruling Lib Dem/Labour administration has increased minimum parking fees from £1 to £2.50 in short stay car parks right across Powys.  

As well as increasing parking fees, the Council has removed a number of parking spaces in towns by failing to remove Covid-era social distancing measures such as planters and bollards, says Miss Jones.

The Brecon and Radnorshire MP said in her letter that business owners and residents have approached her to discuss their concerns around car parking in Brecon and Radnorshire. Many are deeply upset and concerned about the rising costs, and in some towns, having to pay for two hours car parking as a minimum.  She sayd that free Saturday parking may encourage residents to shop locally again, which would give our local businesses a well-deserved boost over the festive period.

Miss Jones commented:  “The local authority has had a boost in revenue from these increased parking charges.  Some of this ought to be directed towards free parking at the weekends as shoppers get ready for Christmas.  Local independent retailers deserve to have the best Christmas ever and the Council could drive this forward if they wanted to.

"Powys County Council needs to take steps to boost high street footfall and this is the perfect way of doing it.  The next step should be to remove the planters and bollards which have obstructed high street parking.  They were brought in under Covid regulations and it’s high time they went.”

In response to comments made by Fay Jones MP, Powys County Councillor, Jackie Charlton has confirmed that threre will be free parking on the run up to Christmas. She said: “Father Christmas is coming early to our car parks, and we are looking at free parking on Saturday’s running up to Christmas. Notices will be going out on the car parks very soon. This decision was taken earlier in the summer, so it has always been there.”