SOUTH Lakeland District Council is proposing to cut or freeze the cost of many car parking charges to help local businesses - and to encourage people to stay and spend longer.

Car parks in Kendal, Ulverston, the Lake District, Grange-over-Sands and Kirkby Lonsdale could be affected.

The annual review of tariffs at council-owned car parks is due to go before the council's cabinet at a meeting today (Wednesday, February 14). Members will decide whether to agree to the recommendations.

Officers are recommending that the cost of leaving vehicles on many four-hour and nine-hour spaces should be cut by between 40p and £1.

It is hoped the cuts or price freezes will act as an incentive for visitors to stay, shop and visit towns and villages for longer.

SLDC head of commercial and technical services Dave Conlin said that there had been some complaints about the cost of long-stay parking, and that traders would like people to stay longer and perhaps have lunch while they were out.

"What we are trying to do is re-organise the tariffs so it's relatively cheaper to stay for a longer period," he said.

Under the proposals, stays of an hour and two hours may rise by a maximum of 20p, and by as little as 10p, in many areas. The cost of parking for three hours in many areas will be frozen and in some areas reduced.

At key visitor stops, such as the long-stay car parks of Ferry Nab, Bowness, no increases will be introduced.

At Braithwaite Fold, Bowness, the cost of parking for up to four hours will fall by 50p to £5, while a nine-hour stay could be cut from £7 to £6. Three hour, four hour and nine hour stays on Glebe Road will all be frozen.

In Ulverston, the cost of a nine-hour stay at Brewery Street, Buxton Place, Daltongate, Theatre Street and The Gill, will be reduced by £1 under the recommendations.

Three-hour stays at Brewery Street, Buxton Place, Theatre Street, The Gill and Daltongate, will fall 20p to £2. At Stockbridge Lane, the three-hour stay will rise 10p to £1.60.

In Kendal, parking prices for three hours at Westmorland Shopping Centre, Kendal Parish Church, John Boste, Dowker's Lane, South Lakeland House, Blackhall Road, Library Road, Peppercorn Lane and Sandes Avenue, will all be frozen at the existing £2.50.

Prices for nine-hour stays at all of SLDC car parks in Kendal will fall £1 and four-hour stays will fall by 40p. One and two-hour stays will go up 10p.

  • For a report of the meeting, see The Westmorland Gazette, out on Friday.