Tilehurst car parks are raking in more cash after the council cut free parking, leaving drivers and local businesses feeling the pinch
Tilehurst: So, it looks like the car parks in Tilehurst are making a lot more money now that the council has scrapped the free 30-minute parking. This change happened last March, and folks are still pretty upset about it.
Drivers and local businesses are feeling the heat. The Liberal Democrats and Conservatives are jumping on this issue, with a petition from the Conservatives getting over 2,700 signatures to bring back the free parking.
Since the free half-hour was taken away, the council has seen a big boost in income from the car parks. Now, drivers have to pay for at least an hour, and that’s really adding up.
At a recent meeting, Councillor Anne Thompson from the Liberal Democrats asked for the revenue numbers. She pointed out that local businesses are struggling because fewer people are stopping by due to the parking changes.
According to Councillor John Ennis, the numbers show that between March and December, the income from one-hour stays at Recreation Road jumped by nearly £9,710.08. Dunstall Close also saw an increase of about £3,621.25 during the same time.
Ennis mentioned that this extra cash will help keep the car parks running and support other council activities. But it’s clear that the majority of this income is coming from those one-hour stays.
Thompson wanted to know how much money the council made from parking during the pandemic, but those figures weren’t available. The council’s policy committee meeting revealed these revenue stats on January 20.
After the review last year, the free 30-minute stay was completely removed at Recreation Road, although it’s still available on Saturdays at Dunstall Close. The Recreation Road car park has 80 spaces and is free on Sundays, making it a popular spot for shoppers.
Meanwhile, Dunstall Close has 47 spaces and offers free parking for 24 hours on Sundays. It’s closer to the Tilehurst Triangle, which is great for local businesses.
So, it’s a bit of a mixed bag for Tilehurst. The council is cashing in, but local drivers and businesses are feeling the squeeze.
