'I'll go to The Galleries instead' - backlash continues after free parking scrapped

Free parking after 2pm for town centres across County Durham was introduced in April 2021, to help the region recover from the effects of the Covid pandemic, but removed in 2023.

The same scheme for off-street car parks was then removed in January 2024 before councillors voted to reconsider the decision.

But despite calls for the scheme to continue, the council has been told its decision to remove the incentive was correct. Cabinet members are set to endorse the outcome of a review at a meeting next week.

At a January full council meeting, Councillor Alison Batey urged the council to reconsider its decision “due to the concerns raised by business and residents.”

Despite claims that car parking charges cause shoppers to avoid town centres and go elsewhere, the council said removing the scheme had not severely impacted footfall.

A report read: “The available evidence is almost entirely anecdotal and there is very little published evidence which links changes in car park charges to changes in town centre footfall.

“Reviewing the footfall data from the County Durham main centres with chargeable car parking, there is no discernible change to footfall trends that can be linked to the reintroduction charges after 2pm.”

The local authority said it received six complaints from residents after the scheme was introduced and 11 complaints after it was removed but defended its decision saying it was the only North East council to offer free parking post Covid.

One person complaining about the scheme’s removal said: “You should be encouraging people to help local businesses. Prices everywhere are at an all-time high and a little gesture such as free parking after 2pm makes a difference to lots of people.

"I will now just go to The Galleries at Washington instead and I know other people who have said the same.”

Yet, some Durham City residents complained they could not park outside their homes.

If the scheme continued, the council estimated it would lose around £6000,000 per year.

Transport officers published a detailed analysis of the main town centres in County Durham following the removal of the parking scheme as part of the review.

For Barnard Castle, there was no immediate drop in afternoon footfall although throughout the year afternoons have become quieter than comparable periods in 2023. In Bishop Auckland, the January footfall appeared unaffected by the reintroduction of charging after 2pm, although as the year has progresses, afternoons are quieter.

This pattern was also replicated in Chester-le-Street although footfall has improved as the year progresses. In Consett however, the first quarter showed increases in afternoon footfall against the general trend between January and April with afternoon footfall tailing off between May and July.

Park and Ride usage also increased when the parking scheme was removed.

The issues is due to be discussed at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, September 18.