THE cost of parking in Darlington town centre will double next month at four council-run car parks.
A 50p per hour rate was introduced in October 2014 will be scrapped and the cost of daily tickets at two car parks will also double.
Archer Street, Chesnut Street for non-HGVs, East Street, and Garden Street off-street parking places are all affected by the rates increase which will apply Mondays to Saturdays.
But Darlington Borough Council said it was always intended to boost charges in the spring of 2016, once the new Feethams multi-storey had opened.
Darlington's Garden Street car park. Picture: STUART BOULTON
Bill Westland, Darlington Borough Council’s assistant director for regulatory services, said: “The 3-for-2 parking offer and 50p per hour rate in certain car parks were always intended to be temporary measures.
“They were brought in to support the town centre while development in Feethams was taking place and parking spaces were temporarily lost.
“We now have a fantastic multi-storey car park and the leisure facility is opening in stages over the coming months so the incentives to park further from the town centre are no longer appropriate.”
The fees at Archer Street, East Street, and Garden Street rates will all increase from 50p to £1 per hour from Friday, April 1, and Chesnut Street will only offer a £2 daily ticket rather than an hourly charge.
Daily parking tickets for the East Street car park will also double from £2 to £4.
But Darlington Borough Council hopes more shoppers, traders and visitors to the town, will be encouraged to use the Feethams multi-storey car park which offers 650 parking spaces, including 33 blue bays for disabled badge holders.
Last month, the council’s cabinet member for leisure, culture and transport, Nick Wallis, said the Feethams car park would offer better access to the town centre and the Feethams development in particular.
Darlington's Chesnut Street car park. Picture: STUART BOULTON
He said: “It’s much needed and it couldn’t come at a better time for the town.
“Gone are the days of people having to worry about parking tickets as the barriers mean drivers will pay on exit, rather than having to hurry back to their cars before the ticket runs out.
“The building also looks very contemporary and modern, which really fits in with the theme of Darlington and especially the Feethams development.”
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