Parking charges in Cornwall Council car parks set to rise by 6%
The new tariffs come in today
Charges at Cornwall Council car parks are set to increase by six per cent today (Wednesday 17 September).
The six per cent price increase is expected to generate an additional £360,000 this financial year, which will go towards mitigating a shortfall in the council’s parking services budget. It is expected the increase will also generate an additional £930,000 in the 2026/27 financial year.
Joshua Macdonald, the council’s strategic parking manager, says that immediately following the tariff variation on September 17 there will be a public consultation on other “key parking initiatives” designed to generate an additional £1m and the introduction of changes “to support wider traffic management objectives”
Mr Macdonald said: “Price increases of any kind may be perceived as a negative change made by Cornwall Council. However, increases ensure that the council can continue to manage and maintain its assets, as operational and repair costs rise.
“Fees and charges within the authority increase annually to ensure they continue to generate the appropriate level of income in line with the council’s policy and suggestions by financial services. The council offers a significant range of parking products which provide discounts to locals and regular car park users. By keeping charges in line with inflation, parking services are able to continue to offer these products.”
He added: “Following the decision made by Cllr Rogerson on August 18, a period of five working days elapsed prior to the statutory process beginning to vary the charges. This period was to allow for a ‘call-in’ to be made by members, however no challenge was received.”
Mr Macdonald highlighted that if the motion was approved there would not be sufficient time for the variation to be reversed, with the changes coming into effect on September 17. It would likely take six weeks to reverse the decision, when new charges would already be in place.
“As a result, initiatives outlined within the budget will not be delivered, having a significant impact on the council budget of up to £1m.”