Wiltshire Council proposes changes to parking plans after consultation feedback

Wiltshire Council is proposing to make changes to parking charges and arrangements across the county following a public consultation that attracted 1,762 responses.

The proposed changes reflect feedback received from residents, businesses, town and city councils, with several original proposals being amended or withdrawn. The final decision will be made in the coming weeks, following the completion of the statutory decision call-in process.

The council had originally proposed:

• An average 20% rise in parking charges in 2026, followed by a further 5% rise in 2028.
• Extending parking charges operating hours to 7 am-7 pm.
• Aligning Sunday charges with weekday tariffs.
• Reintroducing on‑street Sunday charging in Salisbury.
• Adjusting season ticket and permit fees in line with any tariff changes.

However, following consideration of all consultation responses, the council is now planning to:

• Keep Sunday charging hours as they currently are – from 10 am rather than the proposal to extend charges to start at 7 am. This is to help support leisure and community-based activities.
• Introduce a 20% increase in pay-and-display parking charges, rounded to the nearest 10p. This is against an inflation rate of 28% since the last price increase.
• Increase season ticket and permit charges in line with the revised tariffs. These are heavily discounted against the normal daily parking charge.
• Extend charging hours to 7 am-7 pm in short-stay car parks ONLY. Long-stay car parks will retain the 8 am- 6 pm charging hours.
• NOT reintroduce Sunday on-street parking charges in Salisbury.
• Align Sunday tariffs with weekday tariffs in short-stay car parks ONLY, while long-stay car parks will retain a day-rate charging structure.
• Keep the existing charging hours in long-stay car parks, with the exception of Dunns Lane car park in Castle Combe.
• Keep the existing charging hours at The Maltings car park in Salisbury, as it plays a distinct role within the city centre, supporting the hospitality and leisure sectors.
• Introduce charges for weekend public use of selected council-owned car parks, including around County Hall in Trowbridge and the Bridge Centre in Chippenham.
• Not introduce Sunday charging in Cross Hayes, Malmesbury, or Marlborough High Street, as these are on-street car parks.

If approved, the changes will take effect from 1 September 2026.

Councillor Martin Smith, Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “We received a significant response to the consultation and we have listened carefully to what people, businesses and local councils told us.

“While there remains a need to update parking charges, which have not increased since 2022, we are looking to change course on a number of proposals in direct response to the feedback we received.

“For example, we are planning to no longer extend charging hours across all car parks; we are looking to retain existing arrangements in long-stay car parks; and we are planning to not bring back Sunday on-street charges in Salisbury. We are also looking to keep Sunday charging starting at 10am after hearing concerns about the impact on leisure, community and visitor activities.

“The final proposed package strikes a balance between supporting our town and city centres, managing parking effectively, and ensuring parking income continues to support important transport and highways services across Wiltshire.

“Income generated through parking is reinvested in maintaining parking services and supporting wider transport infrastructure across Wiltshire, including our rural bus network.

“These proposed changes also reflect Our Wiltshire Plan commitment to being open, listening to our communities and working together to make decisions that benefit residents, businesses and visitors across the county.”

The council’s parking charges have not increased for four years. Income generated through parking helps fund the management and maintenance of parking services and wider transport infrastructure, including support for the rural bus network. The proposed approach also supports the council’s wider transport objectives while recognising the different roles played by short-stay and long-stay parking facilities.

However, the Conservative Councillors at Wiltshire Council have questioned the fairness across Wiltshire after the review. 

Following the publication of Wiltshire Council’s proposed car parking tariff changes, Wiltshire Conservatives have raised concerns about the consistency of outcomes across the county, with Salisbury and other locations favoured over other areas.

Cllr Nick Holder, Conservative spokesperson for Highways, commented: “These parking tariff increases represent another challenge for local businesses and residents already facing significant economic pressures.  It is also unacceptable that residents and businesses in Malmesbury, Marlborough and Salisbury have been prioritised over other towns in Wiltshire.

"It seems to me that the Lib Dem administration is making decisions which support its political objectives in Malmesbury, Marlborough and Salisbury, and given the Lib Dems' “fair” mantra, it is more than slightly ironic that towns such as Calne, Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge are effectively subsidising more affluent areas. 

"It is also important to remember that the minority Lib Dem administration relies on the support of Labour Councillors, and earlier this year Cllr Ricky Rogers (​​Salisbury Fisherton & Bemerton) publicly stated that reduced parking charges in Salisbury were his price for providing continued support to Ian Thorn and his administration.”  

The changes have been developed following the consultation on proposed amendments to parking Traffic Regulation Orders, which ran between 9 April and 5 May 2026.

To find out more, see: Decision details - Democratic Services - Wiltshire Council