Parking charge freeze 'prioritises shoppers'

Some parking charges have been frozen in a bid to encourage more shoppers into the area.

Cotswold District Council (CDC) said it wanted to support local businesses by making it easier for shoppers to "pop into town".  

From 1 April, the fee for short-term visits of up to an hour will not increase, but longer stay parking will rise by 2.5%.

Councillor Paul Hodgkinson said "Many councils across the UK have been forced to drastically increase parking charges to keep up with rising costs recently, CDC has prioritised local shoppers by freezing first hour parking."

He added that an extra 10p from the tourism levy introduced in Bourton-on-the-Water will "put more money back into the village to support with the impact of tourism".

As previously agreed in November 2024, the tourism levy at Rissington Road Car Park will increase from 50p to 60p.

The authority said these tickets are currently "highly subsidised", and added that funds from parking "supports services such as community safety, street cleaning and environmental initiatives".

Mr Hodgkinson, portfolio holder for parking operations, said freezing first-hour parking charges will make shopping more affordable.

"We know how important affordable parking is for local businesses and residents," he said.

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