New charges at some of Stockport's free car parks could put 'vital services' at risk in the borough, a councillor has warned.

The Lib Dem-led council is planning to bring in the new fees at 25 car parks before Christmas, with the cost starting at 50p for an hour rising to £2.40 for ten hours.

The move was agreed as part of the budget in February 2024.

But opposition councillors have raised concerns about the impact it could have on Stockport's communities, and the process the council has followed.

The charges were discussed at a town-hall meeting on 13 October.

Labour councillor Dean Fitzpatrick, representing the Heatons South ward, flagged concerns about the plans to charge at the Didsbury Road car park in Heaton Mersey.

He said new fees could see some people stop at big supermarkets instead of using shops in the village.

Didsbury Road car park in Heaton Mersey (Image - Google Maps)

He also said that there are some who work in Heaton Mersey who leave their cars at Didsbury Road car park all day, and new charges could end up with vehicles in the lay-bys outside the shops.

"The chemist has been in place all my life, I would imagine it's a profitable business, I'm concerned that I don't think it's a big money spinner, and any knock-on effect to their business could put it at jeopardy," Cllr Fitzpatrick added.

"It's a vital local service and I don't want to see that put at risk. We've also got a late shop where the same situation might happen if people can't just call in to get milk or something quick for their tea."

He added that there were 66 responses to the plans from residents, 64 of which were against the new charges, with two 'neutral' replies.

Cllr Christine Carrigan, leader of Stockport Labour Group, said she felt 'immense frustration' with how the council had handled the process of introducing the new fees.

She said: "At every level, whether it's been missing reports, whether it's been the denial a report exists, whether it's been no real justification of why certain car parks have been included in this, there has been a litany of errors peppered throughout this whole process."

A report by Stockport Council on its process found that there had been 'no failures, flaws or deficiencies in the governance arrangements that have been followed with regard to the introduction of parking changes on currently free car parks across the borough of such a nature that could reasonably be considered to give rise to procedural impropriety.'

Costs at the car parks start at 50p for an hour rising to £2.40 for ten hours (Image - Caspar Rae / Unsplash)

Lib Dem councillor Grace Baynham, the council's cabinet member for parks, highways and transport services, gave a statement at the meeting.

She said: "The principle of car parking [charges] is well established, 80 per cent of our car parks are currently charged for, it's a nominal fee, this is to standardise the offer across the borough.

"It's also car parks do cost an amount to run, and by introducing these charges, they are quite nominal, we don't envisage they will cover all the costs involved in running all our car parks, but yes they will help towards frontline services because less money that is intended for frontline services will be diverted towards maintaining car parking.

"It's important to realise that these are off street car parks, so it's not impacting parking outside anybody's property."

The cabinet member added that some businesses 'might well benefit from the increased turnover in parking' as a result of the charges.

The list of car parks set to have new fees before Christmas includes:

• Bramley Close, Bramhall
• Guywood Lane, Romiley Railway Station, Romiley
• Hibbert/Church Lane, Marple
• Brabyns Brow, Marple Bridge
• Brabyns Park, Marple Bridge
• Middlers, Marple Bridge
• Brookside Lane, High Lane
• Buxton Road (Library), High Lane
• Buxton Road (Medical Centre), High Lane
• Windlehurst Road, High Lane
• Torkington Park, Hazel Grove
• Church Road, Gatley
• Finney Lane, Heald Green
• Church Road/Woods Lane, Cheadle Hulme
• Andrew Street, Compstall
• Hallam Street, Heaviley
• Green Street, Shaw Heath
• Arnold Street/Hardcastle Road, Edgeley
• Arnold Street, Edgeley
• Didsbury Road, Heaton Mersey
• Derby Range, Heaton Moor
• Ashbrook Lane, Reddish
• Margaret Street, Reddish
• Rupert Street, Reddish
• Redhouse Lane, Bredbury

~

Free from clickbait, Stockport Nub News is a quality online newspaper for our town.

To get our top stories in your inbox each week, subscribe to our free weekly newsletter HERE.

Please consider following Stockport Nub News on Facebook or X