Council’s plan to hike parking charges slammed as “nail in the coffin” for Sunderland city centre

Sunderland Council’s ruling Cabinet has yesterday (30th August) published plans that would: ncrease parking charges at Council car parks by 10p per hour from January 2024. It plans will also axe the ‘Free After 3’ scheme in most car parks in the city centre – except smaller, harder to access cars parks on the furthest outskirts of the town.

The plans will be voted on by ruling councillors at a Cabinet Meeting on 7th September. Commenting, Lib Dem councillor and Leader of the Opposition on Sunderland Council Paul Edgeworth said: “This is a completely idiotic move from Sunderland Council bosses that could well be another nail in the coffin for our city centre.

“Businesses are already struggling and this is the last thing they need. The Council should be doing everything it can to encourage people to use our restaurants, pubs and shops in the afternoon and evening - keeping our city centre alive and thriving.

“It doesn’t take a genius to realise that increasing parking fees and axing the Free After 3pm scheme for most car parking spaces in Sunderland is going to stop people choosing to come to the city centre. Instead of making Sunderland an attractive option, this reckless plan will drive more people to go to places like The Galleries, Dalton Park and the Metro Centre.

“I am also concerned that, just like cancelling the Airshow, the low carbon agenda is being used as an excuse - this time for greedy Council bosses to clobber local people with higher costs and charges. If they were serious about reducing carbon they would be taking radical steps to roll out more electric car charging infrastructure and making public transport genuinely affordable. Instead they are making life harder for people in Sunderland harder by hiking parking charges.”