Parking fees at council-run car parks across North Yorkshire are set to rise for the second year in a row.
North Yorkshire Council officers have advised councillors to increase on and off-street parking tariffs by ten per cent in a move which could bring in almost £2m in extra income.
Parking permits could also rise by the same percentage under the proposals.
Officers say the increase is necessary to help pay for a raft of improvements to parking infrastructure.
These include £2m plans to replace all 430 parking machines across the county.
A further £400,000 could be spent on renewing lighting in car parks, with many still equipped with old sodium lights and rusting lamp columns, officers say.
The council is also proposing to spend £400,000 replacing old borough and district council signage with new North Yorkshire Council branded signs.
Steve Brown, the council’s head of parking services, said this was to “comply with statute requirements, alter the look and feel of the car parks and ensure that the signs are inclusive for everybody”.
He added in a report to members:
“In the coming financial year, subject to approval, North Yorkshire Council is undertaking the largest investment into parking infrastructure ever seen in the region with the possibility of new parking machines, improved lighting and better policies all aimed at improving the customer experience.
“This increase recognises this significant investment and will help maintain high standards in car parking for the next five years.”
The proposed increase follows a 20 per cent rise for parking tickets and permits last year.
A report for councillors said last year’s rise came after all but one of the former district and borough councils, which were responsible for most off-street parking until 2023, froze prices for ten years.
Officers have forecast that a ten per cent increase in on and off-street parking fees could bring in an extra £1.95m in 2025/26, pushing the total income from parking tariffs to more than £21m.
Supporting documents say the increase in parking fees could have benefits for the environment by discouraging drivers from using their cars.
A report states:
“It is good environmental practice to raise tariffs to support local transport plans and council policy in order to change driver behaviour and encourage more sustainable methods of travel such as walking, cycling and public transport use which this increase does.”
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