Bristol reacts to hike in parking charges, making it one of the most expensive places to park outside London

Bristol City Council has confirmed drivers will have to cough up more money if they want to use car parks or on-street bays around the city centre and surrounding areas.

Short stays in off-street car parks like Trenchard Street and West End will rise from £1.50 to £2.50 an hour, and a four hours rising from £6 to £10, making Bristol one of the most expensive place to park outside London. Only council car parks in Cardiff and Manchester cost more to park at.

The move, set to generate an extra £1.6 million a year for the council, will complement the incoming Clean Air Zone (CAZ) by ‘discouraging long stay parking by encouraging more sustainable modes of transport such as walking, cycling, public transport and park and ride’.

The CAZ is set to introduced on November 28, it will impose daily charges on vehicles, primarily older models, which produce higher pollutuion emissions - Starting from £9-a-day for cars to £100-a-day for buses.

This, coninciding with the decision to hike parking tariffs has left some residents adamant that damage will be inflicted on businesses based in Cabot Circus, parts of Bedminster, and other shopping districts affected.

Les Mann commented on social media: “The shoppers’ exodus to the mall continues - the boarded up shops will probably outnumber the occupied one now.”

User, Kate Kingston agreed: “That’s Cabot Circus dead then. Go to the Mall at Cribbs instead. This council is just so greedy.”

Paul Burgess added: “That’s really going to attract shoppers isn’t it!

“But of course, the good old Council don’t want cars anywhere near the city. With limited public services, getting worst by the day, the centre, Broadmead, Cabot Circus and the Galleries will become a ghost town.”

Terrie Payne said: “That is extortionate.

“How is that encouraging people to go back to the office and support the economy. I thought £13.50 a day was bad - will not be able to afford £18.”

Labour cabinet member for transport Cllr Don Alexander has defended the increase in charges. He told a meeting this week: “We make increases based on our transport policy, and our policy is that we want driving not to be a cheap way of coming into the city, we want to encourage people to use other modes.

“Bus fares have gone up and we want to make our park-and-rides more competitive, and we are working on more bus prioritisation and active travel measures, so we are making that shift.

“We want to encourage shopping and leisure activities by offering short-stay parking.”