The findings of a review into parking fee hikes at four York locations are in.
City of York Council commissioned independent consultants Arup to determine the impact on
residents and traders of increases to charges for parking at
- Bishopthorpe Road
- Heworth
- Micklegate
- and the Groves.
Arup has now published its findings, which will be discussed at a council meeting next Tuesday (16 June).
In 2025, prices were increased to £4.85-an-hour for the first two hours from Sunday to Thursday and at £5.30-an-hour on Fridays, Saturdays and during events.
It saw charges at Bishopthorpe Road’s car park rise from 80p-an-hour. Increases there, and to on-street charges in Micklegate, were later lowered following a backlash.
The ruling Labour group said at the time the increases were needed to tackle congestion but residents, traders and opposition councillors said they would harm local businesses.
Arup’s review received 1,016 responses across the four areas surveyed, including from 107 business owners and 909 residents and visitors.
Eighty-one per cent of the residents and visitors who took part in the consultation drove to the destination under review.
More than half of businesses (56%) who responded reported fewer customers and lower spending, while 15 per cent said there was no change.
Residents and visitors said they were using car parks less often, shortening their stays, leaving their vehicles elsewhere or travelling to different places.
Cheaper parking, improved public transport and walking, wheeling and cycling links were among suggested responses businesses, residents and visitors said the council could consider following the hikes.
Six businesses and 57 residents and visitors said they supported the increase in charges.
Consultants Arup said the hikes had broadly been in line with other similar places in the UK and the council had to balance competing priorities including dealing with congestion.
But they added the handling of the increases fed into local concerns which ultimately led to the review.
Arup’s recommendations following the review included looking free half-hour parking and other options to support short stays and promoting alternatives to driving.
They also called for more transparency and consultation on any future parking hikes, saying the latter had been absent at the time.
The review cost £120,000 to run, £30,000 across each of the four areas surveyed.
‘No modal shift’
Opposition Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Cllr Fenton said residents, traders and community groups had been telling them the hikes had hurt shops and made it harder to support local businesses.
He said: “Labour repeatedly dismissed those concerns, but this independent report shows they were right.
“Perhaps most tellingly, the report contains no evidence that the parking charge increases have achieved the modal shift Labour claimed they would deliver.”
Opposition economy spokesperson Cllr Ashley Mason said the Liberal Democrats called for spending £300,000 on introducing lower charges for half-hour stays but Labour chose not to support it.
Cllr Ravilious said the administration was seeking to balance survey respondents’ views with others including the quarter of residents who do not have a car.
She added the Liberal Democrats were unwilling to tackle the difficult issues caused by congestion.
Cllr Ravilious said: “The £300,000 investment the Liberal Democrats propose is populist cloud cuckoo economics.
“It wouldn’t be enough to freeze parking charges at last year’s prices, let alone reduce them.
“We value the recommendations that have emerged from the independent consultants but do not want to pre-empt the discussion and any proposals that will come from next week’s Scrutiny Committee meeting.”
- The place scrutiny committee that will discuss the review takes place on Tuesday, 16 June at 5.30pm
