Wrexham Council to remove free after 11am parking scheme next spring
Visitors to Wrexham city centre will have to pay to park in council-owned car parks from next spring.
It comes after executive board members backed proposals on Tuesday (12 December) to scrap the existing free after 11am parking scheme.
The initiative has been in place at at Waterworld, Market Street, St Giles, Crescent Road, the Library and Crescent Road car parks since October 2020.
It was introduced by the council’s Independent and Conservative administration to support key workers and city centre businesses both during and after the coronavirus pandemic.
However with the local authority facing a worsening financial landscape and concerns that the free parking was being ‘abused’, senior councillors voted in favour of axing free parking in the city centre in April 2024.
The car parking charges that will be introduced in all council owned car parks – excluding Ty Pawb – from April 2024
Speaking at yesterday’s executive board meeting Cllr Mark Pritchard, leader of Wrexham Council said: “We really want to support local businesses, it’s important.
“But we always knew that we would come to this point.
“I was under tremendous pressure to increase these a lot higher – but I resisted because I understand the importance of trying to set a car parking fee which is balanced and fair.
“I want to make it very clear that none of the executive board members wanted to do this, I can assure you.
“But we understand the difficulties that we’re in and we wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t revisit everything.”
A report presented to councillors ahead of the meeting stated that whilst many city centre car parks are operating at or above the desired 85 per cent occupancy, “initial analysis and anecdotal evidence indicate a significant proportion of ‘parkers’ in city centre car parks, are parking to attend their place of employment.”
Rhosnesni Cllr Andy Gallanders questioned whether the free after 11am scheme had been beneficial to city centre businesses.
Cllr Gallanders said: “As footfall figures are down what has been the effectiveness of free after 11.
“It obviously costs a lot of money to implement but has it been a worthwhile value for money?”
Cllr Pritchard said that he believes it has been “successful in helping and supporting city centre businesses.”
Hermitage councillor Graham Rogers raised concerns that the removal of free parking could have a detrimental impact on the city centre.
He said: “We’re all aware that you have only got to walk around Wrexham, it doesn’t matter what time of the day or night, on most days it is pretty deserted.
“I would imagine that there are many businesses, even now that are struggling.
“If these charges were to be reintroduced I’m pretty sure that it will have more of a damaging effect on the businesses in Wrexham.
“I understand the predicament in relation to the problem we have got and the struggles that we have got on finances.
“All I would ask is if this is to be reintroduced, then it’s is reintroduced as a moderate level, not to the levels as it was previously.”
Cllr David Bithell, deputy leader of Wrexham Council, pointed out that the proposed charges are less than what was previously charged by the local authority.
Concerns were also raised about the impact the charges could have on nearby residential streets – which could end up being used by those who don’t want to pay to park.
Cllr Marc Jones, who represents the Grosvenor ward, said: “My concern – and I suspect the concern of anyone who represents a ward near the town centre – is that we will have the unintended consequence of more people looking for free parking on residential streets.
“As a result we won’t see the income generated that we perhaps hope for.
“I wondered whether in reviewing this we undertake to consider the impact of this on residential streets.
“It’s an ongoing problem and until we do actually face up to it in some meaningful way – and that may be parking permits – we’re never really going to solve this.
“I hope that in looking at this management of car parks that we do consider the wider picture.”
Cllr Pritchard agreed that there is existing issues on side streets around the city.
He added: “We’ve had a taste of the permits discussions before, but if there’s ever been a time for it, it’s now.
“Hopefully subject to political support we can bring them reports forward as quickly as possible.”
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