Car Parking Charges Set to Rise in Cornwall

The charge for parking for an hour in any car park in Cornwall is just 20p. This reduced parking for the first hour is brilliant for all local businesses struggling to survive in today’s harsh economy, as they are able to compete with the big cities further north just for the simple ease and value of parking locally for shopping on any high street.

Unfortunately the 20p parking charge for the first hour is set to increase. Saltash and Torpoint parking will rise by 10p to 30p for the first hour while the rest of the county will rise to 50p. This is said to be because of the two towns; Saltash and Torpoint close proximity to Plymouth.

However Holder Graeme Hicks wrote to panel members to tell them that he was taking this recommendation out of the document going to public consultation. The Town Council has written to the Council to protest, saying:

“Were it not for Caradon Councils decision to reduce the first hour of car parking to 10p in 2007 it is very likely that the condition of the town centres of Saltash and Torpoint would be very much graver that it is now".

"The fact is that Cornwall finally agreed to an exemption for Saltash and Torpoint after a great deal of argument. Reversing this decision will result in a tremendous loss of confidence in the council, and will strengthen the growing belief in many quarters that the Truro based council has little interest in this end of Cornwall and its issues”

Saltash Town Mayor Adam Killeya added “Whilst we understand that a final decision has not yet been made, we are very concerned that public consultation rarely changes the council’s mind. Regeneration of the Town Centre is our top priority and a huge hike in the charges for the first hour – often used by town centre shoppers – will not help.”