East Staffordshire Borough Council’s Cabinet has approved a number of recommendations to improve and modernise car parking in the borough.
Visitors to East Staffordshire Borough Council owned car parks will soon be able to pay for their parking by using an app. via their mobile phone as part of an 18 – 24 month trial. This will allow visitors to pay for their parking remotely, removing the need to return to the machine to top up their payment and will stop users having to estimate their length of stay. Cash payment will be still be available across all car parks ensuring all visitors are catered for.
The Council will also be reintroducing its two hour £1.40 parking tariff, effective from April 2020. The increase, from £1.00 to £1.40 is in line with expected inflation rates and the Council’s Fees and Charges policy. It means that visitors to ESBC car parks will pay the same amount for two hours parking as they did between 2008 and 2011. The free parking after 3pm scheme will remain in place.
Cabinet also approved a recommendation to explore the use of Section 106 funding towards the introduction of electric vehicle charging points within council owned car parks. Section 106 obligations are agreements made between a local authority and developers, which are attached to the planning permission, and can be used, amongst other things, to invest in local infrastructure.
Councillor Bernard Peters, Deputy Leader for Regulatory and Community Support, said: “I’m delighted that the Council will be moving forward with plans to improve and modernise car parking in the borough.
“Many cark parks across in cities across the county have the option to pay via mobile phone and I’m excited to see it being trialled in East Staffordshire. Its introduction will not only provide residents and visitors to the town with more choice but it will allow the Council to continue to improve its service.”