District-wide parking charges under review

Sevenoaks District Council is putting forward new parking charges that will come into effect from Tuesday 1 April 2008, the first increase in many cases for between two and four years.
 
Local people can comment on the new proposed charges up to 29 February 2009.
 
The proposed charges are:
 
- Sevenoaks town centre
Short stay fees will increase by 10p for one hour’s parking, 10p for two hour’s parking, between 20p and 30p for three hour’s parking and 40p for four hour’s parking.
The short stay fees have been set to encourage high turnover of the available spaces. Day tickets will increase by 40p.
 
Annual season business ticket prices will increase by £209 per year.
Previously season ticket holders have benefited from an annual 27% discount calculated on a vehicle using the car park five days a week for 45 weeks a year. However the discount will be reduced to 10% meaning the cost of a season ticket will now be £769.
 
The evening charge will remain at £1, the original fee when the charge was first introduced in April 2004.

On-street charges will remain at 10p for up to 30 minutes but thereafter increase by 10p to 50p for one hour and £1 for two hours.
 
- Sevenoaks station
Day tickets will increase by 30p a day and annual season tickets by £130 putting them in line with the rail operator’s charge.
 
- Sevenoaks St John’s Hill
The half-hour parking charge will remain unchanged, one hour's parking will increase by 10p, two hours by 20p and between two and four hours by 20p.
 
Long stay all day tickets will increase by 20p a day.
 
- Swanley – Bevan Place, Park Road and Station Road
 The half-hour parking charge will remain unchanged, one hour’s parking will increase by 10p, two hour’s parking by 20p and between two and four hour’s parking by 30p.
 
Long stay all day tickets will increase by 50p a day to match more closely the rail operator’s charge, the first change in four years.
 
- Westerham Darenth and Quebec Avenue
The opportunity is being taken to introduce a more flexible charging structure for users.
Whereas currently only two hour and all day parking tariffs are available, new tariffs of one hour, two hours, two to four hours and all day parking will be provided.

The one hour charge will remain unchanged at 30p, two hour’s parking will increase by 20p, two to four hour’s parking will increase by 10p and the all day parking charge will increase by £1.80 to more closely reflect charges elsewhere in the District.
 
Councillor Gary Williamson, the Council Cabinet member with responsibility for parking management, said: “We have tried to ensure that our proposed price structure ensures there is sufficient turnover of parking spaces in our retail centres and that our day tickets are comparable with those of our neighbouring councils.

“At the same time, we are looking to raise additional income that will be used for important local services such as CCTV, which covers all our town centre areas and most car parks.”
 
The Council is consulting on the new charges and the public have until 29 February 2008 to comment.

This can be done by e-mailing parkingandamenity@sevenoaks.gov.uk or by writing  to: Parking and Amenity Team (quoting "Car Park Order 2008"), Sevenoaks District Council, Council Offices, Argyle Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1HG.
 
Details of the charges will be advertised in all the affected car parks, on the Council's website and in public notices section of some local newspapers.

The new charges were agreed at Sevenoaks District Council’s Cabinet meeting on 20 December 2007.