By Anika Bourley Parliamentary Correspondent

Last updated 13:21, Thursday, 21 August 2008

COUNCIL chiefs across Cumbria will not follow calls from a Government minister to hike up car park charges to reduce congestion – but said charges would be set based on local need.

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Too cheap? The Central car park in Keswick

Local Government minister John Healey said in a speech to the Local Government Association that councils should charge more for basic services such as off-street parking.

He said only one in five councils were charging to their ‘full potential’ and half of them didn’t have a clear policy on charging.

The call to increase charges to improve people’s health by getting them walking comes as motorists face soaring petrol prices and inflation-busting utility bills.

Eden council chiefs said encouraging people and tourists to come to the area was a priority and higher parking costs would hit people in the area.

A spokesman added: “We review our parking charges annually and they are comparable with other Councils in the area.

“We price our parking to encourage local people and tourists to shop locally as we are aware that in a sparsely populated rural area such as Eden that doesn’t have good public transport links, the increasing costs of private transport are a major issue.”

A spokesman for Carlisle City Council said: “The city council’s car parking charges are fixed on an annual basis and reviewed accordingly as part of the city council’s car parking strategy and transport plans, which are relevant to the local area.”

Fees and charges for Copeland car parks will be examined in April and there are no current plans to change that, a council spokesman told the News & Star.

An Allerdale spokesman added: “Fees and charges are reconsidered on an annual basis taking into account the needs of local people, opposed to national ones.”

Earlier this year it was revealed North and West Cumbrian councils collected almost £6 million from motorists last year.

According to the Department for Communities and Local Government, Allerdale Council collected £2.52 million from motorists last year, Carlisle £2.45 million, Eden £600,000 and Copeland £283,000.

The income came from parking services, including car parks, parking meters, resident permits and season tickets.

After costs, including equipment, the wages of traffic wardens and operating and maintaining car parks, Allerdale council made £1.14 last year, Carlisle £991,000, Copeland secured £55,000 and Eden made £302,000.

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