Talks ‘ongoing’ over future of car park fees as charges rolled out across Sudbury

Talks are under way over the future of a town centre car park after controversial new charges were introduced in Sudbury.

Last week, parking charges were introduced at Babergh District Council-owned car parks in Sudbury, Hadleigh and Lavenham.

The change brings an end to the popular provision of three hours’ free parking, which the district council claimed it could no longer afford to subsidise.

In Sudbury, short-stay car parks now cost £1 for up to an hour, £1.50 for two hours, £2 for three hours, and £2.50 for four hours

Long-stay car parks carry a charge of £1 for up to two hours, £1.50 for three hours, £2 for four hours, and £2.50 to park all day.

The new charges have taken effect at Sudbury car parks including Ballingdon Street, Blackfriars, Girling Street, Great Eastern Road, Mill Lane, North Street, Quay Lane, Station Road and Stour Street.

However, questions have been raised over status at the Great Eastern Road car park, next to Roy’s retail store.

The car park changed from short-stay to long stay in the move, but parking machines there haven’t been operating since the charges were introduced.

A spokesman for Babergh District Council said: “While the car park is managed by Babergh, the land is owned by Roy’s, so we need to work together to ensure the correct legal framework is in place for the future, and this is taking longer than hoped.

“We hope to have a refund scheme in place soon, so customers can continue to enjoy free parking while they shop at Roy’s.”

Babergh leaders say the new car park charges across the town and district are necessary to help address the ‘significant budget pressures’ of the forthcoming financial year.

It says the current cost of subsiding free parking, which stands at £425,000, jeopardises other essential services and that the new fees are ‘modest’, below those of neighbouring authorities and that long stay parking in the town is now cheaper.

Sudbury Chamber of Commerce said this week that it has been carrying out a survey into the number of empty shops in the town, to monitor the effect the parking charges will have.

It follows concerns from shopkeepers who fear that shoppers will go elsewhere.

Sudbury Chamber will also be surveying shopkeepers and market traders in the next few weeks.

Sudbury Town Councillor, Nigel Bennett, said the council is working in conjunction with the chamber so they can present a ‘genuine picture’ of the impact of the parking charges.

“If the charges are shown to be have a negative effect, we will make representations to the district council,” he said.

The Sudbury Society meanwhile said that it was ‘disappointed’ that despite the year-long planning, an agreement had not been reached over the Great Eastern Road car park.

A spokeswoman for Roy’s said: “We are holding ongoing discussions with the council regarding plans to introduce car park charges at the Great Eastern car park.

“We are committed to ensuring that the impact of these charges is minimised for our customers as much as possible. We continue to work closely with the council with the aim of agreeing a suitable resolution as soon as possible.”

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