Former Council Leader Slams Proposed Changes to Parking Charges

The former leader of Wiltshire Council, Cllr Richard Clewer, has slammed the Liberal Democrat administration's proposed changes to parking charges in Salisbury and Wiltshire.

Current proposals to change parking charges to be considered by the cabinet include:

• Increasing on-street and off-street parking tariffs across Wiltshire.
• Extending chargeable hours to 7 am-7 pm.
• Aligning Sunday charges with weekday rates.
• Adjusting permit fees in line with tariff changes.
• Reintroducing on-street Sunday charges in Salisbury.

Whilst Cllr Clewer (Conservatives) has agreed that some of the changes are needed, like an increase in prices, other parts of the proposals he has 'real problems with'.

Cllr Clewer expressed concerns around extending chargeable hours and the detrimental effect that could have on hospitality businesses. He said, "There isn't an excess of demand in the evening, so you shouldn't be charging for it. Officers used to ask me all the time to put on charges in the evening. I always said no because, early evening, the city gets quiet.

"If you want to keep people there. If you want to keep people to go shopping and then go out for a meal, you've got to have something, something there that's an incentive. And the idea that you're going to start charging for parking, when people want to be going out for a meal, it just seems wrong to me."

On the changes to Sunday parking charges, Cllr Clewer said, "I think the Sunday issue is more challenging. The one issue that's always caused me concern is the religious aspect of Sunday. And people who go and park because they're going to church. And I'm not sure we should be getting into an environment of charging people parking when they're going to church."

The current proposals include a 20% increase in charges across Wiltshire. Cllr Clewer isn't sure that is the right thing to do either, saying, "I don't disagree that charges need to go up; we always put them up every four years. That felt right to me, that you put them up and gave it time for it to settle.

"20% feels too high for me. I just don't see that the costs in these areas have escalated that much to require a 20% uplift. 

"Some of the annual permits are now going up by almost 40%. 44% I think the worst one was. So there's some inconsistency to it from a Salisbury perspective. And that really does worry me.

"Salisbury, we can't damage that. Salisbury is bucking the national trend, and if we mess with parking charges in the wrong way, we'll break it."

Wiltshire Council say in a statement:

The proposed tariffs are designed to maintain competitive rates regionally, encourage appropriate parking behaviour, and secure funding for essential transport services such as rural buses.

If approved, the proposed tariffs would be introduced later this year, with a second adjustment planned for 2028, following statutory consultation. No decision has currently been made, and the proposed tariff consultation would begin in the spring if approved by Cabinet. 

Cllr Martin Smith, Cabinet Member for Highways, Streetscene and Flooding, said: “Our Parking Plan is about creating a fair and sustainable parking system that works for everyone – residents, businesses, and visitors.

“It will help us to make the most of council assets while also improving the parking experience for our car park users. It will also enable us to have stronger parking enforcement in rural areas and near schools.

“By modernising our approach and reviewing charges, we can ensure that parking supports local economies, encourages greener travel choices, and helps fund vital transport services across Wiltshire.

“If the review of parking tariffs is agreed by Cabinet, there will be a public consultation in the spring.”