Car Parking in Melton

Did you know ...

• There are 103 free ‘on street‘ car parking spaces available for 30 and 60 minute visits to the Town Centre
• Car Parking Charges have stayed the same since May 2008
• There is no premium charge for Tuesdays in the Long Stay Car Parks
• New cost-effective Season Tickets will be available on the Council’s website from mid-January 2012 for the Long Stay Car Parks at a cost of £300 for 12 months and £160 for 6 months
• Parking for Blue Badge Holders is free
• There are 4 Short Stay Car Parks and 5 Long Stay Car Parks in Melton, the furthest of which is still within 500m of the Town Centre
• Parking charges in Melton compare favourably with other market towns
• 6 Council Car Parks have been awarded the ‘Park Mark’ Safer Parking Award
• Free car parking will be available in the Long Stay Car Parks from 10 a.m. on the 5 Fridays before Christmas (starting 25 November)

New Pay and Display Car Park Charges

The hourly rates in short and Long Stay Car Parks are to be increased by approximately 10-11% in 2012.  The current parking charges have been in place since May 2008 and the new charges are to be implemented from 12 January  2012.

The increases are as follows :-

Click the link for the Town Centre Map showing the locations of the above car parks – Car Park Map

Public Views on Car Parking

Public views were sought in the ‘Your Money - Have Your Say’ Public Budget Consultation 2011/12 and the responses on car parking featured heavily in the comments and responses from the public.   The comments were centred on four main themes which the Council has listened to, made changes where possible and is able to respond as follows:-

1.   Abolish the ‘Tuesday’ charge in the Short Stay Car Parks

There have been frequent requests to abolish the extra Tuesday charge for parking and changes have been made to the tariffs for Long Stay Car Parks in response to these requests.  The reason for the premium charge on a Tuesday in the Short Stay Car Parks is to encourage visitors to use the Long Stay Car Parks rather than the short stay ones thereby reducing traffic congestion in the town centre.  The higher Tuesday charge also encourages turnover in the Short Stay Car Parks thereby freeing up spaces for all visitors.

The Long Stay Car Parks are only a short walk from the town centre and are within 500m.

2.   Re-introduce the half hour tariff

There are 103 free ‘on street‘ car parking spaces in the Town Centre suitable for 30 or 60 minute visits to the town. 

The cost of policing these spaces falls to the Leicestershire County Council and whilst there is the option for charging for ‘on street’ parking this is not a route the Council has taken.

3.   Reduce charges or introduce free parking on certain days

A review of charges in comparable market towns revealed that Melton is a cheaper place to park than Loughborough and Oakham and at comparable levels to Grantham, Stamford and Market Harborough.  Also the 103 free ‘on street’ car parking places enables free parking for short visits to the Town Centre.

4.   Introduce a reduced rate parking for businesses

The weekly charge for people working in the town for Long Stay Car Parks is only £7 – this equates to a £1 charge per day over 7 days.  The introduction of Season Tickets will provide a further cost effective option for regular car park users, these being £300 for 12 months and £160 for 6 months. 

Car Parking Update

Season Tickets

There have been requests from business representatives on the Town Centre Partnership for the Council to consider discounted season tickets.

Season tickets will improve the service by assisting those customers that currently purchase weekly tickets and require a large amount of change each week to purchase their tickets.

These are being introduced from mid-January 2012 for the Long Stay Car Parks on the basis of either annual or 6 monthly permits priced at £300 and £160 respectively. This represents discount levels of some 17.5 % on the previous full rate charge (£7 x 52 weeks = £364).  This new initiative is considered to be realistic and an attractive offer to business users without having an adverse impact on the Council’s revenue.  The tickets will be available to buy on the Council’s website.

‘Park Mark’ – Safer Car Parks

Six of our car parks have been awarded the 'Park Mark' Safer Parking Award which shows our commitment towards creating a high quality parking facility.

Coach/Bus Charges

Buses and coaches make use of the service point at Wilton Road for dropping off/picking up passengers and for parking free of charge. Coach and bus parking availability and charges are to be reviewed later in 2011.

Blue Badge Holders

Blue Badge Holders benefit from free car parking in Melton’s Pay and Display Car Parks. 

Cattle Market Car Park (ex Nottingham Road)

The Cattle Market Car Park is open as a long stay car park every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The car park is located at the Cattle Market, off Nottingham Road, past the Fire Station.  

Parkside Offices Car Park

The new Parkside site will be available as a Long Stay Pay and Display Car Park on Saturdays from January 2012.

Burton Street Car Park

A master planning exercise will be carried out in Autumn 2011 to include public consultation on the future development opportunities for the Burton Street Car Park site.  This exercise will assist in deciding on the continued use of the Burton Street Car Park and the benefits of investing in a full specification car park surface and associated lighting/boundary treatments.

Green Travel

Melton Borough Council is committed to protecting and enhancing the environment by promoting sustainable travel, preventing damage to the environment and the surrounding community.   Our green travel plan looks to reduce single occupancy car use and encourages effective use of current transport networks including supporting their enhancement.

Sustainable travel is any form of transport that keeps damage to our environment, and therefore the future, to a minimum. Any form of transport can be sustainable including :

• Public transport
• Car sharing
• Walking
• Cycling
• Electric, hybrid and bio-diesel (vehicles that keep carbon emissions, and other pollutants, to a minimum)

Melton Borough Council is also dedicated to improving the quality of life for the people in the Borough. In support of this it aims to demonstrate to other organisations in the town what can be achieved and to lead the way on green travel initiatives resulting in less reliance on the car.  In this connection, the Council has four main objectives:-

• Support increased choice of travel modes
• Promote and achieve access by sustainable modes
• Respond to the growing concern about the environment, congestion, pollution and poverty of access
• Promote the creating and shaping of 'place' through improved environmental credentials and improved accessibility

Park and Stride

Staff and Partners based at Parkside are piloting a ‘Park & Stride’ initiative which fits with the Council’s commitment to pursuing Green Travel.  The scheme operates from Scalford Road Car Park on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  If successful, the scheme will be offered to other organisations.

Background Information

In the ‘Your Money – Have your Say’ Public Budget Consultation for 2011/12, the majority view of the public on car parking charges was for them to ‘stay the same’.  However, apart from the increase in the weekly charge last year the current level of charges have not been increased since their introduction in May 2008.  Since this date the Consumer Price Index has seen an increase of 10.96% and the Retail Prices Index an increase of 11.02%. VAT which is included in the charge also increased from 17.5% to 20% in January 2011 meaning the majority of the income generated from the increase to the weekly charge was not retained by the Council.

The Council’s charging policy requires charges to be increased annually at least in line with inflation.  It is recognised that coinage issues can make this problematical in areas such as car parking.  However if charges are not increased in the 2012-13 financial year then there will have been no change for 4 financial years in a row and that will cause a decrease in income to the Council in real terms.

The public sector is almost certain to see a dramatic reduction in its funding in the coming years and with council tax levels constrained the Council has to look carefully at other income streams to maximise income if it wishes to protect existing service levels.

The potential fall in car park income for the Council and its impact must be carefully balanced against the potential impact of increased charges on the local economy. Therefore an increase of approximately 10% across all the tariff bands has been agreed with the exception of the weekly charge which was revised last year.  Even at the increases set out above, parking charges will still be at similar levels to other comparable towns in the East Midlands.

Car parking levies and charges aim to create a balance between maximising income for the Council (to enable it to pay for the upkeep of the car parks) and tackling traffic congestion and encouraging more sustainable forms of transport whilst also encouraging economic development of the town. Car parks are expensive to manage and maintain, the car parking income provides a significant proportion of the Council’s income and any reduction impacts on the Council’s corporate priorities.

Town Centre Car Parking contributes to a number of corporate objectives including the following key priorities:

• Enhance the vitality and viability of Melton Town Centre
• Encourage and support the development of Community Safety initiatives throughout the Borough.
• Encourage sustainable forms of transport, develop an integrated transport plan for the Borough
• Work to improve road safety

The Council has an approved charging policy which sets out that fees and charges should be increased at least in line with inflation each year. Due to coinage issues this has not been complied with in respect of car parking and has resulted in a real terms reduction in charges of some 11% since the last increase in May 2008.  The charging policy also links the granting of concessions with the ability to pay.  

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