Drivers are facing higher charges to park in Stockport town centre as part of new proposals by the council.

The town hall has laid out plans to save £500,000 with a review of parking prices, a move which is part of its latest budget proposals.

It comes as massive regeneration work is taking place in the town centre, with new apartments being built alongside places to shop, eat, and drink.

But £19m needs to be found to balance the books overall, which has put the council in a position where it has to make savings.

A report stated: 'The proposal will review the pricing structure for our town centre car parks.

'The current pricing structure across the town centre is charged by the hour up to a maximum of 12 hours.

'We will look at options to help support our growing and evolving town centre.'

Stockport town hall (Image - Nub News)

The proposals include a review of hourly parking rates and the charging structure for longer periods.

A Stockport council spokesperson said: "As part of our annual budget-setting process, all savings and income proposals are shared with scrutiny so they can be fully considered.

"The review of town centre parking charges is going through this standard process, and no decisions have been made at this stage.

"We remain committed to supporting a thriving, successful town centre while ensuring the council remains financially resilient."

The council is also planning to save a further £200,000 through efficiency changes across its work on communities, culture and public protection, and parks, highways and transport.

The report suggested that this could involve changes to the workforce.

It explained: 'Where there are workforce changes are anticipated HR colleagues and union reps will be involved throughout the process.

'Wider impacts will be confirmed as the programme is further scoped. Where possible, we will try to limit the impact on response times to both residents and members.'

(Image - Samuel Regan-Asante / Unsplash)

The proposals will be discussed at a meeting by councillors in the communities and transport scrutiny committee on November 24.

The overall budget proposals, which includes any changes to council tax, will be put to a vote by all councillors in Stockport, and is scheduled to take place on February 26 next year.

Separately, parking charges are being introduced at 25 car parks around the borough which are currently free to use.

The council previously said these fees are expected to be in place by Christmas, with costs set to start at 50p for an hour rising to £2.40 for ten hours.

This was agreed as part of the council's budget in 2024, but some councillors have since raised concerns about whether it could see more people going to large supermarkets – where parking is often free – instead of using shops on local high streets.

But Cllr Grace Baynham, cabinet member for highways and transport in Stockport, said at the time that some businesses 'might well benefit from the increased turnover in parking' as a result of the charges.

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