Coastal parking charges changed in Fareham
By Connor Steel
FAREHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL have announced that coastal parking fees will increase slightly across the town under a set of changes due to start next year; councillors acting upon feedback from local residents as they discussed proposals during a scheduled meeting of their Health and Public Protection Scrutiny Panel.
Introduced in August 2021 residents were asked to pay charges when parking in a variety of facilities across Fareham; including hotspots such as Meon Shore and Monks Hill. Motorists have since paid a cost of £1 per hour (up to a £6 limit) when using popular coastal areas including Lee-on-the-Solent and Portchester Castle.
Coastal parking will increase by 10p each hour from March 1 next year in line with current inflation rates and these will apply between 10am and 6pm daily. The £6 per-day price cap will also be removed from the same date; meaning that the above charges apply equally to residents in the borough through main daytime hours.
However parking will remain free before 10am and after 6pm each day, ensuring that all residents are able to access coastal spaces during the early mornings and evenings. This applies to every coastal car park as the council aims to maintain an opportunity for exercise, water based activities and dog walking with no charges.
Costs of buying a coastal season ticket will further increase to the standard rate of £145 per annum, whilst a concessionary rate of £95 is offered for those residents of Fareham Borough Council wards. Again this is an increase in line with inflation and has been followed by other councils based across all South Coast regions.
The council have further announced that town centre charges will remain unchanged in a bid to support local businesses after the pandemic, representing a twelve year ‘freeze’. The press release also states that a vast majority of the council’s forty-three car parks will remain free to use for everyone, regardless of their address.
All financial income from car park charges is used to support the management and maintaince of these sites; as well as ensuring activities to reduce fly-tipping, litter dropping and abandoned vehicles. It will further help planned work to demolish Osborn Road Multi-Storey car park and then replace it with a huge surface facility.
Readers can examine the full release from Fareham Borough Council, including a short quote by Councillor Joanne Burton, by clicking this link; whilst further information can be viewed on their Parking & Traffic page.
PICTURED BY ORLA MARIE STEEL: These charges can be paid using meters viewed across Fareham car parks like Monks Hill; with cards, coins and cash accepted all alongside the downloadable PayByPhone app.
