Cotswold District Council prioritises local shoppers with first hour parking freeze

The council has frozen parking charges for 30 minutes and 1 hour, making it easier and more affordable for residents to shop and visit town centres for short trips. 

Recognising the importance of supporting local businesses, Cotswold District Council has opted for these future rates, while also ensuring the sustainability and maintenance of parking services across the district.  

Key Changes: 

• First Hour Parking Frozen: Charges for the most frequent short-term visits (30 minutes and 1 hour) will not increase, helping local residents and visitors pop into shops and businesses easily. To support local shoppers and short-term visitors, charges for stays of 30 minutes and 1 hour will remain at their current rates. 

• Modest Adjustment to Longer Stay Parking: To ensure the continued quality of parking facilities, charges for stays of 2 hours or more will see a minor increase of 2.7%, rounded to the nearest 10 pence. This adjustment aligns with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate from October 2023 to October 2024. 

• Season Ticket Adjustment: An adjustment of 2.7%, rounded up to the nearest £5, will be applied to season ticket fees, which are currently highly subsidised.  

• Bourton-on-the-Water Tourism Levy: As previously agreed in November 2024, the tourism levy at Rissington Road Car Park will increase from 50p to 60p. This puts back much needed cash into the local community to support with the impact of tourism on the village. 

Cllr Paul Hodgkinson, portfolio holder for parking operations, said: “We know how important affordable parking is for local businesses and residents. By freezing first hour parking charges, we are making it more affordable for people to shop locally and visit our town centres.  

“While many councils across the UK have been forced to drastically increase parking charges to keep up with rising costs recently, Cotswold District Council has prioritised local shoppers by freezing first hour parking. 

“At the same time, the modest increase in 2 hours or more parking charges will help us maintain and improve our car parks while supporting our commitment to sustainability. 

“The extra cash from the Tourism Levy in Bourton on the Water will put more money back into the village to support with the impact of tourism.” 

Revenue from parking supports related services such as community safety, street cleaning and environmental initiatives. 

The Council remains committed to reviewing parking charges regularly to ensure they remain fair and reflective of current economic conditions.