Proposed parking charge hike

TOWN hall bosses are proposing to increase parking charges in South Shields town centre and the foreshore under new spending plans.

South Tyneside Council recently published budget plans for the 2024/25 financial year, including a proposed council tax hike and millions of pounds of savings, as well as updates on capital investments across the borough.

One key proposal in the council’s £7 million package of revenue savings to help balance the books, which includes increasing efficiency, new models of service and additional income, is a ‘parking charges review’.

Council budget documents indicate that the changes would save the council £300,000 in 2024/25, while bringing the council’s coastal and town centre charges in line with comparable councils in the North East. In South Shields town centre, the revised charges would include 1p per minute for 60 minutes then £1 per hour thereafter, or a £4 daily charge.

For council car parking areas along the foreshore, the revised fees would equate to £1.20 per hour, or a £6 daily charge. The council states that hourly rate proposals for South Shields town centre would still be less than the current hourly rates in Tynemouth and Whitley Bay, Sunderland city centre and Gateshead town centre.

Daily charge proposals in South Shields town centre would also be less than daily charges in the majority of these neighbouring areas.

The £1.20 per hour charge for the South Shields foreshore is also understood to mirror charges in coastal towns Tynemouth and Whitley Bay.

A final decision on the parking will be made at the council’s annual budget meeting on February 22.