00:00Free parking after 6pm in Liverpool city centre could be brought to an end in just a matter of weeks.
00:06The move comes almost two months after the council's cabinet signed off on the first rise in parking charges for years.
00:13We've been on the streets of Liverpool to get your take on it.
00:16Terrible. I think it's terrible. It's a ruining business.
00:19I think it's wrong. I think it's a false economy because you're seeing it too much in terms of money making exercise after 6pm.
00:27What they're not taking into account, I think, is what that will cost the restaurants and the businesses and the nice economy.
00:34I don't think it's going to have a big bearing.
00:36It's going to be probably an inconvenience more than anything for some people because they're used to not paying and now they're going to have to.
00:43We do occasionally bring a car into town, especially of an evening.
00:47They're just ruining businesses. There's just nothing for anybody.
00:53Last time I parked in town I thought I was safe after 6pm and I got a £60 parking ticket.
00:59I think it's a bit short-sighted. You can see why they're doing it because they're trying to get money in, of course, onto all councils.
01:05But I think, looking at the bigger picture, it's actually going to lose money.
01:12How many cars actually get free parking? How many cars are available?
01:16Only a couple of hundred maybe. Those couple of hundred are out of them who are just going to say, it doesn't matter, I'm going to pay anyway.
01:26Not everybody can walk far and you need to be able to park within the vicinity and the car parks are so expensive.
01:35Liverpool Council said the proposed extension of the charging period aimed at creating more spaces for those holding resident and business permits.
01:43In December, the council's cabinet signed off on a significant hike that will come into force from next year.
01:49With the local authorities struggling to make ends meet, fees will rise by as much as 60% in some places.
01:56And extending the charging period from 7am to 11pm daily.
Comments