James Evans MS has urged Powys County Council to introduce a free 30-minute parking period as part of a wider review of parking charges across the county.

The council is currently considering plans to reintroduce a one-hour parking tariff at all long-stay car parks. Under the proposals, parking for up to one hour would cost £1.50, with two hours priced at £2.50, four hours at £3.50, and all-day parking capped at £5.

The changes follow months of consultation, data analysis, and input from a cross-party group of councillors, town councils, businesses, and an independent consultant. The review also looks at wider issues such as active travel, town centre footfall, and sustainability.

Cabinet Member for a Greener Powys, Cllr Jackie Charlton, said the council had sought to balance community needs with budget constraints.

However, Mr Evans, Conservative MS for Brecon and Radnorshire, has called on the council to go further by introducing a 30-minute free parking period — a policy adopted in other parts of the UK and praised for boosting short visits to local shops and businesses.

“Businesses in our town centres are telling me they are struggling with higher costs, staffing shortages and lower numbers of shoppers,” said Mr Evans.

“The Lib Dem/Labour run Council could be supporting our high streets by making parking more affordable and introducing a 30-minute free tariff. Instead, they appear to see our car parks as cash cows, and not recognising the importance of getting people into our town centres to boost the local economy.”

Independent councillors, led by Cllr Beverley Baynham, have also backed calls for the free half-hour parking, citing Highland Council’s successful implementation of the policy, across specific areas and times.

The council’s parking review will be discussed at a scrutiny committee meeting on Thursday, June 12, where final recommendations will be examined before possible approval.