People who drive a low-polluting “green” vehicle or are a residential carer in Sheffield will no longer have to pay for a permit to do so.
So-called green permits, which also include free parking for Sheffield City Council controlled city centre car parks and on-street pay and display bays, will be reduced from £100 a year to zero for Ultra Low Emission Vehicles, while residential carers’ permits will also be provided free.
Parking permits are also set to be increased for the first time in seven years, with additional increases for people who own more than one car.
But parking in the city centre remains cheaper or comparable to every other core city across the UK, including Leeds, Nottingham and Birmingham. Sheffield’s rates are also cheaper than many of the fees charged in nearby areas.
It comes after a series of improvements to the way people park in Sheffield – as well as ways to help keep people safe across the city. New pay and display machines man people can now use chip and pin cards to pay, whilst the CCTV camera car is helping monitor driver behaviour outside schools and helping to keep children safe.
New parking fees and charges are set to be brought in on April 1 following the publication of the city’s parking strategy in January last year.
Councillor Lewis Dagnall, cabinet member for environment and street scene at Sheffield City Council, said:
“This report sets out clearly how we will manage traffic and parking across the city. I’m particularly pleased we are showing our support for those who drive low emission vehicles as well as acknowledging the work our city’s carers do by making their permits free as well.
“Even with increases, our parking is still reasonably-priced and much cheaper than many other core cities.”
Under the new pricing structure, set to be brought in on April 1, 2019.
- Parking will increase from £1 for the first half hour to £1.30 from Monday to Saturday from 8am to 8.30pm, or £2 for up to four hours or on Sundays (up from £1 per day) in Central Zone 1.
- Parking in central zone 2 will increase from £1 per hour to £1.30 per hour from 8am to 8.30pm Mondays to Saturdays; £2 from 4,30pm to 8.30pm and £2 for Sunday parking.
- Parking in central zone three will now be £1.30 per hour or £6.50 for all day parking, or £2 from 4,30pm to 8.30pm and £2 for Sunday parking.
- Off-street parking rates will also increase by 30p per hour; short-stay all-day tariffs will increase to £5 a day and long-stay tariffs to £6.50 per day.
- Permit prices, last reviewed when the scheme was introduced TEN years ago, will increase by 30 per cent, with exceptions for green permits and residential carers permits. A standard first residential permit will now cost £46.80
- Dispensations and bay suspensions will also increase from £10 per day to £15 per day – the same as Rotherham and £5 cheaper than Doncaster.