Households set to be charged for parking outside own front doors

CHARGES are to be introduced for the first time in Liverpool for people living in streets with residents’ parking schemes.

It could see multi-car owning households paying £200 or more a year  – and £40 a year if you plan to have a visitor over - though the council says each home will still get the first permit free.

Football parking zones would also be hit by additional charges.  The on-street “free” bays around Anfield and Goodison Park will be converted into “pay by phone” bays. Everybody using them, including residents and businesses, will have to pay £6 on match days.

As the city grapples with a slash in its government grants - and a parking scheme which, it says, costs over £850,000 to operate - it was only a matter of time before a charging scheme came into operation.

For thousands of families living in terraced streets in “control zones” the proposal will come as a bitter blow. They don’t have the luxury of driveways or off-street parking, leaving them with no option but to pay if they need extra permits or visitor permits. Even the likes of a plumber coming over to fix a burst pipe will be given a fine - unless the household has a visitor permit they can display.

Penalty notices are already issued for people parking in controlled areas without permits, but that does not meet the cost of administering the scheme.

This is how the scheme will operate, if introduced:

Each resident will be entitled to one free parking permit.  A second permit will cost £40 a year, a third £60 and a fourth and other permits £100 each.  Each home will be entitled to one visitor permit costing £40. Householders not applying for a parking permit will receive their visitor permit for free.

Parking outside GoodisonOne concern will be the fear the council will introduce charges and then increase the costs as it needs more cash to balance its books in future years.

Some provincial cities charge as much as £750 a year for parking permits.

The city council will, this Thursday, begin public consultations on the proposed new charges, initially focusing on parking around Anfield and Goodison Park stadiums where there are football match-day parking zones.

Says the council: “The charges also aim to respond to increasing demand for residents’ parking spaces by helping reduce the number of vehicles parked on-street, making it easier for residents to find a parking place, reducing congestion and improving road safety. The introduction of charges is in line with other local authorities. Of the seven other major English cities outside London, five already charge for residents’ permits with the charges ranging from free to £750.”

There will also be a charging scheme for business and trade parking permits in controlled zones. 

Malcolm Kennedy, the council’s cabinet member for regeneration and transport, said:

“The city council heavily subsidises reserved parking places and we need to make sure these schemes start to pay for themselves. We think, by providing the first permit for free for residents, and then introducing charges to people who want further permits we can deliver a fairer system and make it easier for residents, and their visitors, to find a parking place near to their home.”

He added: “The introduction of new charges for on-street football parking is another way in which we are trying to make our parking schemes safer and improve traffic management.

“We know the build-up of vehicles in residential areas, with fans driving up and down streets looking for parking spaces on match days causes major frustrations for local people, and these proposed changes would play an important part in tackling this problem.

“These proposals are not connected in any way with football stadium developments. It is something we have been considering for some time and  we will also be consulting in other residents parking zones.”

Those costs in full

Residents permits – each household will get their first permit for free, with charges for a second permit (£40 per year), a third permit (£60 per year) and fourth and further permits (£100 per year).

Visitor permits – £40-a-year charge will be introduced for visitor permits, limited to one per household. This will be free if no resident permit has been applied for.

Business permits – businesses that regularly require a vehicle can apply for one business permit which will cost£50 a year.

Trade permits – new, temporary permits will be introduced to allow contractors and other traders to park in residents bays outside  the city centre. A daily permit will be £6 and a weekly permit £35.

Landlord’s permit – a new permit for landlords who regularly need to visit their properties within residents’ parking schemes outside the city centre. This permit is already in use in other parts of the city and is being rolled out. Anew charge of £50 will apply.

Relocation permit - a new permit, it aims to resolve difficulties residents face when first moving into a property within a parking permits zone. The temporary permit will be valid for one month and will cost £50.