New Forest car parking price increases among highest in the country

New Forest District Council's decision to hike charges for car parking by 50% of the hourly-rate is one of the sharpest increases of anywhere in England, it has been revealed.

The Daily Mail recently conducted an analysis of car parking price increases for all of the different local authorities across England and identified Conservative-run New Forest District Council as one of the worst offenders. However, the Daily Mail did not take into account the Conservative Party's decision to massively increase the price of short-stay and long-stay parking clocks at the same time.

Many local residents and businesses have expressed their concerns with the increases in car parking costs at a time when the cost of living crisis is making life harder for everyone. 

The Liberal Democrats voted against both the hike in the hourly-rate for car parking and the massive increase in the price of parking clocks. We argued that the price hikes were unnecessary (the increases could have been spread out over multiple years rather than waiting until after the local elections) and will make life harder for people at a time when residents and businesses desperately need the Council's support with the cost of living.

Liberal Democrat candidate for New Forest West, Cllr Jack Davies, seconded a Lib Dem motion to limit the increases to the rate of inflation. He said:

"The truth is these increases aren't necessary and will reduce footfall in our town and village centres. The increase could have been kept to inflation-only.

"The Conservatives clearly knew these increases would be coming but waited until after the local elections to make the decision when they could have spread the increase out over the past couple of years.

"Instead, they have played politics and local residents and businesses are facing the consequence."