Cornwall Council is proposing to lease 28 car parks to a private company as part of a £2million savings initiative, which could see drivers lose free parking facilities.
The plans would see the selected car parks removed from the current parking order, which governs local authority parking management across the county.
David Harris, deputy leader of the council, said the proposals would “ensure the car parks can continue to be well-maintained” whilst allowing the council to focus resources elsewhere.
Under the scheme, a single company would take responsibility for managing the sites, with rental income going to the council and additional revenue being shared.
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The proposals could see more than one in 10 car parks removed from the current parking order
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A public consultation on the proposals is running until Thursday, January 9, seeking residents’ views on multiple changes to parking arrangements.
The consultation includes proposals to reduce the minimum spend for the JustPark wallet from £50 to £30.
Additional changes under consideration include returning Old Bridge Street in Truro to a short-stay car park.
The council is also proposing to remove the £31.50 long-stay charge at Tolcarne Road Car Park in Newquay and introduce reserved parking permits at the site.
Trial implementations of the scheme have already shown success at two locations in Cornwall, according to Cornwall Live.
Councillor Harris reported the trial has been “very successful” with increased revenues and minimal complaints from locals.
However, local councillors have raised concerns about the transfer process and its impact on communities.
Councillor Julian German highlighted inconsistencies in the council’s approach, noting that while car parks could be rapidly transferred to private companies, transfers to parish and town councils often take years.
In Launceston, where three out of six council car parks are on the list, Town Councillor John Conway expressed frustration: “Launceston Town Council has been asking to purchase the car parks from Cornwall for many years.”
Concerns were also raised in Camborne, where Councillor Peter Perry strongly disputed the inclusion of Rosewarne car park, arguing it was essential for town centre traffic management.
Despite concerns, Cornwall Council’s scrutiny committee has endorsed the car park transfer plans with several key recommendations, including a two-year break clause.
The committee called for Cornish MPs to jointly lobby the government to authorise councils to use ANPR equipment in their own car parks.
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Some car parks could lose free parking status
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The committee also recommended investigating direct ANPR deployment without private contractors.
A final recommendation focused on negotiating a “reasonable grace period” before fines are issued with whichever enforcement company wins the contract.
