Survey launched to gather views on proposed car parking changes

Published: Fri 10 May, 2024

North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) has launched the public survey as the first stage of its car parking review programme.

The car parking review is part of the council’s wider work to maintain its financial stability and ensure its services are as efficient and cost effective as possible in the face of a predicted £2m funding gap expected by 2028.

Feedback from the survey will help the council to understand how drivers currently use its car parks, and how they will be affected by proposed changes.

These are:

• Two hours free parking in all council car parks in Coalville, with charges beyond two hours mirroring the Belvoir Shopping Centre tariff
• Charges increased in Ashby to be in line with similar charges in neighbouring district and borough councils
• Review electric vehicle charging points in council car parks
• Two hours free parking in all council car parks across the district (except Ashby), with charges applied after this
• North Street and South Street car parks in Ashby changed to become short stay
• A new long stay car park at Money Hill in Ashby, including an electric vehicle charging hub.

The survey is open now and runs until 2 June.

Complete our car park usage survey. 

Councillor Michael Wyatt, Portfolio Holder for Community Services and Climate Change at NWLDC, said: “The results of this survey will tell us more about how people use our car parks across the district. It will also give us useful feedback on the changes we’re proposing.

“We want to simplify the way we charge to park in our car parks, making it easier for people to visit our town centres for work, shopping and leisure.

“As part of our car parking review, we’re also planning to introduce new electric vehicle charging points – meaning our car parks will be fit for purpose for years to come.”

Information about NWLDC budget pressures

• With a likely reduction in funding from business rates and the cost of providing services going up due to inflation, NWLDC is expecting a gap in its budget from 2024.
• From its total £18.7 million budget (not including housing, which is funded through rental income), the council is predicting a £0.3 million shortfall in 2025/26, which could rise to £2 million in 2028/29.
• Ongoing work to reduce costs and increase income has halved this predicted gap in the council’s budget 

• The authority currently has healthy reserves following years of good financial management and high income from business rates and planning fees.
• The council is now working across all its services to ensure they are provided in the most cost effective and efficient way, as well as considering ways to increase its income and reduce its costs. £500,000 of capital funding has been allocated for this work in the draft budget.