COMMUTERS in Wilmslow could soon see their parking bill more than double if council chiefs get their way.

Cheshire East Council has launched a public consultation on plans to increase charges at six of its car parks located close to train stations – including Broadway Meadow, off Alderley Road.

If approved, it would mean that drivers who park their car for more than six hours would see the cost rise from £3.30 to £7.50.

The council insists the move is ‘not a profit-making scheme’, but Cllr Gary Barton, Conservative member for Wilmslow West and Chorley, believes the council needs to think more carefully about how to tackle parking issues in the town before introducing a price hike.

He said: “I do understand the need to increase charges. We are getting less money from central Government, and a number of people who use Broadway Meadow drive into town from outside the borough.

“I understand that we have to pay for the management of the car parks and we are looking at ways to expand the car park that need to be paid for.

“But we are not talking about a 10p rise, which people would accept, and clearly this would have a strategic impact on parking in Wilmslow.”

Car parking has become a political hot potato in Wilmslow.

A parking study is currently being carried out in the town, while plans to expand Broadway Meadow with a multi-storey car park have previously been mooted to help meet demand for spaces.

And just last week, David Keane, police and crime commissioner for Cheshire, visited Alderley Road to see the problems caused by cars parking at the side of the road.

“There is currently a parking review in Wilmslow and I think the charges need to be considered as part of that rather than brought in separately,” Cllr Barton added.

“We need more car parking spaces in Wilmslow to alleviate the parking problem. We don’t want to do something that pushes more drivers to park on the streets.”

Under CEC’s plans, drivers parking at Broadway Meadow two, three, four or five days would also face significant price hikes, while motorists leaving their car there for less than six hours would face a price hike of 10p.

Car parks in Crewe, Macclesfield and Congleton are also in line for price hikes under the council’s proposals.

Frank Jordan, executive director of place and acting deputy chief executive at CEC, said: “It is our responsibility to ensure our car parks are safe, secure and well maintained – and that there is a good turnaround of spaces for visitors and shoppers.

“The money that comes from car parks helps us to do this and ensures that our car parks fund themselves, rather than us having to use money intended for vital frontline services elsewhere.

“For CEC, this is not a profit-making scheme. The revenue generated will help to ensure a quality of service that people expect when they come to one of our car parks.

“We strive to make parking as user friendly and supportive to our towns as possible. These proposals do not impact existing car park incentives such as, free after 3pm, leisure centre refunds or the town and parish council four free days allowance.

“While we would prefer to leave things as they are, we continue to be forced to make a range of tough and, at times, unpopular decisions. This is a sign of the pressure local authorities, like ours, face with reductions in funding from central government and increased demand for essential frontline services.

“We have been forced to make millions of pounds of savings year on year, while protecting essential and much-needed frontline services, including those to the most vulnerable in our communities.”

For more information visit cheshireeast.gov.uk/parkingcharges