Press Release

9 September 2020

£1 per hour parking charge to be introduced at coastal car parks

A £1 per hour parking charge is to be introduced in coastal car parks across the Borough between the hours of 10am and 6pm, with a maximum charge of £6.

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, along with other financial pressures, such as reduced Government funding, means the Council needs to find new revenue streams to protect vital services. Fareham is currently the exception among south coast authorities for not charging in its coastal car parks.

At a meeting of the Council’s Executive it was agreed to introduce a flexible pay-by-the-hour option in the coastal car parks, up to a maximum charge of £6 (for six hours or longer).

The Council also agreed to the introduction of an £80 annual season ticket for regular car park users, which works out to 22p a day.

The meeting also agreed to freeze parking charges in the town centre and shopping area car parks to continue to encourage people back into the shops.

Executive Member for Health and Public Protection of Fareham Borough Council, Cllr Trevor Cartwright, said: “The effect on the Council’s already stretched finances as a direct result of the Covid19 pandemic and lockdown means we have to find alternative revenue streams.
“We have resisted introducing charges in our coastal car parks for many years but now we must. However, we have listened to the feedback we have received and kept the charging as low and as flexible as possible to cater for everyone.”

The Executive also agreed that:

a Pay-by-App option be introduced for all Pay & Display car parks in the Borough;
new Pay-on-Foot machines be installed in Osborn Road Multi-storey car park, Fareham shoppers’ car park and Market Quay car park and a budget of £250,000 be allocated for this purpose;
a charge of £1 per hour up to a maximum of £6 be introduced in all coastal car parks in the Borough during the hours of 10am – 6pm each day;
officers report back to a future meeting of the Executive on any potential concessionary or season ticket arrangements in individual car parks which is to include an option (agreed in principle) for a season ticket of £80 per year, ie 22p a day;
new solar powered Pay and Display machines are installed in coastal car parks and a budget of £75,000 be allocated for this purpose;
Dragons’ Teeth be installed at Monks Hill and Salterns car parks to prevent parking on the grass verges at a cost of £11,000 but height restriction barriers will not be installed;
a consultation exercise on Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) be undertaken outlining any required changes to parking restrictions and charges in all car parks where changes are proposed to current arrangements;
no new charges to be implemented in any shoppers’ or other Borough car park within the next five years;

work is undertaken to investigate the provision of cycle racks to be installed at coastal car parks;
liaison takes place with Hampshire County Council and Hampshire Police to address on-street parking issues which may transpire after the implementation of any car park charging; and
Meon Shore car parked resurfacing will not go ahead as per the original recommendation (e) in the report to the Executive.

ENDS