INCOME has fallen at
council-owned Mell
Square Solihull after drivers were no longer allowed to pay when
leaving.
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In April 2012 drivers were
told to pay up front for parking at the multi-storey so savings could be made
from cheaper equipment and less staff.
In the previous 12 months the
car park brought in £940,070 but this fell to £725,866 in the following 12
months, when the new system was in place.
A council report said: “There
has been a noticeable drop in income from Mell Square
This is because of the change
but also the recession and the offer of two-and-a-half hours free parking at
the neighbouring Morrisons supermarket, it said.
The council has urged the
supermarket to introduce charges.
The report said: “The store
has been contacted twice to raise the issue of offering free parking and its
effect on other retailers and the impact on the council’s car parks.
“The store’s response regrettably
is one of being content with their current car park management strategy; in
that the store is performing well and they are not proposing to make any
changes.”
The pay and display system
was also introduced at Lode Lane car park in July last year and income rose
from £436,933 to £470,189 in the same period.
The council said this was as
a result of people unable to park at its Marks & Spencer car park when its
machines were vandalised and the opening of a Premier Inn nearby.
Councillors asked officers to
look into the impact of cutting prices but were warned against lowering fees,
particularly for two to three hours.
The report said: “This option
was considered unlikely to yield greater income against a background of
continuing decline in car park visits.
“Applying the suggested
reduction against current numbers of visits would result in a loss of £100,000.
“This was felt to be too high
a risk and would only serve to increase the current pressure on income levels.”
Reductions to permits bought
by businesses are being considered, however.
But they said there had been
“very few” complaints and less than those received under the previous system.
Complaints about the old
system included barriers getting stuck; customers losing tickets and queuing at
barriers and pay stations.
