Council leader defends end of free evening parking
A council leader has defended the decision to end free evening parking in Liverpool City Centre, calling it a "necessary decision".
Councillor Liam Robinson, leader of Liverpool Council, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the move would not be "universally popular" but described the increase as "proportionate" for a city the size of Liverpool.
It was confirmed last week that despite almost 90% of people who responded to a survey saying they were against the amendment, the city council is pressing ahead with extending its parking restrictions to 11pm.
From next month, drivers will be charged from 07:00 to 23:00, rather than the current length of 08:00 to 18:00.
It will also cost drivers more as 30 minutes parking in the city centre rises from £1.20 to £2 and an hour will cost £4, up from £2.40.
The decision has angered opposition groups and businesses who are concerned how it will impact them.
The Liverpool BID Company, which represents hundreds of levy-paying firms in the city centre has called for a U-turn.
Mr Robinson said: "We always knew this wouldn't be a universally popular decision, I think if you asked most people they would wish we'd have free parking all day, every day.
"As we set out in the process, historically we've been charging at lower levels than most cities across the country and haven't changed these for a number of years so there's an element of catch-up with inflation.
"We believe what we will be implementing is proportionate for a big city of our nature with everything that's going on."
He added the council is also with Steve Rotheram (Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region) to freeze bus fares.
The decision to end free parking came almost three years after it was first proposed by city councillors.
The Liberal Democrats - the largest opposition group on the council - described the charging extension as a "hospitality tax".
Mr Robinson said: "We're only talking about 28% of the parking spaces within the city, yes that's a large amount, but the vast majority of spaces are controlled by private car parking companies and they charge a lot more and around the clock.
"We do believe it's necessary and proportionate. From our perspective we've looked at other cities and we realised to do something later is the right thing to do."
The council leader explained "the additional revenue this will raise that will go into enforcement".
He added: "The resources raised will go back into those frontline services people want us to invest in."
And he also said: "We have taken on board thoughts and that's why a review point has been built in."
Free city-centre parking to end despite objections
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Windrush campaigners urge the Government to save Notting Hill Carnival
Campaigners have urged the Government to step in to protect the future of Notting Hill Carnival as they mark Windrush Day. The west London carnival is in jeopardy, its chairman Ian Comfort said in a letter on Wednesday, when he asked Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to provide urgent funding to save the event. Jacqueline McKenzie, a campaigner and human rights lawyer who helped victims of the Windrush scandal, said the carnival holds 'huge national and international significance'. 'The Government needs to recognise this and act urgently to protect it,' Ms McKenzie said. In the late 1950s, Notting Hill became home to many people from the Caribbean who arrived in Britain on Windrush and accompanying ships, and the carnival was founded by pioneers of that generation. Ms McKenzie said the carnival being at risk 'adds insult to injury' for victims of the Windrush scandal. 'It should not be lost on us that these funding concerns coincide with Windrush Day on Sunday,' she said. 'To see this celebration in jeopardy whilst so many of the Windrush generation continue to fight for justice following the Home Office scandal only adds insult to injury. 'Carnival embodies the fundamental role of Black and Caribbean communities in Britain, and the Government should be upholding the Windrush legacy instead of undermining it.' The carnival attracts around two million people over the August bank holiday, and Susan Hall, leader of the Conservatives on the London Assembly, previously said the event was a 'victim of its own success' and a 'disaster waiting to happen' because of the large number of attendees. City Hall said it has been working with partners to ensure the safety of carnival-goers, which it described as 'paramount'. Professor Patrick Vernon, a cultural historian and Windrush campaigner, said: 'Notting Hill Carnival is far more than a street event — it is a vital cultural institution with both national and international significance. 'As the second-largest carnival in the world, second only to Rio de Janeiro, it underscores London's position as a leading global capital of diversity, creativity and cultural exchange.' Professor Vernon campaigned for a national Windrush Day following the 2018 scandal when it was revealed thousands of British people, mainly of Caribbean origin, were wrongly classed as illegal immigrants – with many deported while others faced difficulty securing work, accessing healthcare or housing. 'The injustice faced by the Windrush Generation in recent years makes the threat to Notting Hill Carnival all the more painful,' Professor Vernon said. 'It is a celebration born of resistance, resilience, and unity – a legacy that should be upheld, not undermined. To allow this cornerstone of Black British identity to fall into jeopardy is to further betray the communities who have already given so much. 'As we approach the 70th anniversary of this extraordinary event, we are reminded that Notting Hill Carnival represents the very best of Britain: unity in diversity, creativity in adversity, and joy in community. Now more than ever, these are values worth defending.' Glenda Caesar, director of the Windrush National Organisation, also urged the Government to step in to save the event, adding: 'In the face of historical and ongoing injustices experienced by people of colour, the carnival stands not only as a celebration of resilience, heritage and identity but also as a powerful symbol of unity and inclusion. 'Supporting this event affirms the UK's commitment to embracing diversity, acknowledging its multicultural roots, and fostering a society where all communities feel seen, valued and empowered.' The Department of Culture, Media and Sport has been contacted for comment.
Bloomberg
38 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
UK to Invest £275 Million to Train Skilled British Workers
The UK will invest £275 million ($371 million) to grow the country's skilled workforce as Prime Minister Keir Starmer seeks to accelerate economic growth and reduce reliance on foreign labor. The funding, announced on Sunday, will be used to overhaul technical training and apprenticeships, aiming to plug skills shortages in sectors like engineering and defence. It's part of a new industrial strategy that includes a 10-year plan for national renewal the government plans to outline this week.
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Starmer puts skills training at heart of industrial strategy plan
Sir Keir Starmer will set out his industrial strategy on Monday as he seeks to kickstart the stuttering economy and reduce the UK's reliance on foreign workers. The decade-long plan for 'national renewal' will include £275 million in skills investment to train Britons to do jobs in growth industries which might otherwise require imported labour. The strategy will include specific funding to train people for work in defence, engineering, digital and construction roles. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the strategy 'will help transform our skills system to end the overreliance on foreign labour and ensure British workers can secure good, well-paid jobs in the industries of tomorrow and drive growth and investment right across the country'. Monday's industrial strategy will be followed later in the week by a new trade plan intended to make the UK the best-connected country in the world to do business. The Prime Minister will launch the industrial strategy hoping it will help in his mission of delivering economic growth. The economy shrank by 0.3% in April, the biggest monthly contraction in gross domestic product for a year-and-a-half, as businesses felt the impact of global uncertainty caused by Donald Trump's tariffs and domestic pressure as a result of hikes to firms' national insurance contributions. Around one-in-seven young people are not in education or employment, and the number of people taking an apprenticeship has fallen by almost a fifth between 2016/17 and 2023/24. The Government hopes the growth sectors identified in the industrial strategy will create 1.1 million new jobs by 2035. The skills package includes capital investment from a £200 million fund which will support new facilities including 'technical excellence colleges' providing specialised training for local industries. The total funding is expected to train thousands more workers by 2029 including computer programmers, IT technicians, electrical and civil engineers. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 'Skills rightly run right through the heart of this industrial strategy because they are key to breaking the link between background and success for young people and delivering prosperity for our country.' Stephen Phipson, the boss of manufacturers' organisation Make UK, welcomed the skills announcement. 'We look forward to working with the Government to fix the skills gap in manufacturing, which has been the sector's Achilles' heel for decades,' he said. Other elements of the plan are expected to include measures to help cut energy costs for industries which have complained they are being forced to compete with rivals overseas who face lower bills. Meanwhile some £380 million will be spent on a range of projects intended to double private investment in the creative industries. Shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith welcomed the investment in skills but said 'the Government are stepping on the accelerator and the brake at the same time' by hiking national insurance for firms and introducing extra employment rights which could increase costs. 'This inherent contradiction cannot make for a feasible or serious strategy, and will hold the Government to account for it,' he said. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
