10p an hour to park in city’s richest hotspot

Scheme allows people to leave cars on street for bargain rate:

VISITORS to an affluent part of Bath where houses can change hands for up to £4 million can now park for 10p an hour after a residents’ association struck a special deal.

The Circus Area Residents Association (Cara) secured the reduced rate from Bath and North East Somerset Council on a year-long trial basis.

It benefits residents living around The Circus and Assembly Rooms, including Queen’s Parade, Gay Street, George Street, Lansdown Road, Julian Road, Crescent Lane, Upper Church Street and Brock Street.

They comprise some of the most desirable streets in Bath, with a fivebed house on Lansdown Road currently on the market for £3.6 million.

Houses on The Circus have sold for more than £4 million recently.

In a bulletin to members, the association said: “Cara has, with neighbouring residents associations, secured new visitor parking arrangements for our members and other local residents.

“Effective 4th March, residents will, under a 12-month trial, be able to apply for electronic visitor parking permits that they can use for their guests to park in the Lower Lansdown Central Zone.

“Residents will be eligible for up to 100 hours per annum of visitor parking permits.

“The cost will be only 10 pence per hour (compared to the existing Caraonly scheme at £5 per day).”

The visitor parking permits are bought online and represent a massive discount for those using them.

On-street parking charges are classified into different tariff bands and many of the streets within Cara’s remit fall into the the tariff three ‘ultra premium zone’.

B&NES Council introduced new fees last August in the biggest shake-up of council parking charges for eight years.

Speaking at the time, the council’s transport chief Cllr Mark Shelford said the pricing changes had been made to make people “think about not coming into the centre of town by car and find sustainable methods”.

As a result of the changes, parking in Brock Street costs £3.40 for the first hour, rising to £4.50 for two hours and £5.60 for three.

In comparison, the 10p-an-hour rate would let friends and family of Cara residents park for £10 for 100 hours.

Cara said: “We’re content with the new arrangements, and have already had residents purchasing them online and congratulating the committee.”

Cara was created more than 20 years ago “to represent the views of people who live and work in the Circus area”. It cost £7.50 a year to be a member. A spokeswoman for B&NES Council said: “We are introducing visitor parking permits in Bath’s Central Zone on an 18-month trial basis.

“The visitor permits will only be available to residential properties and visitor parking will be restricted to 100 hours per year.

“The permits will be available online via MiPermit atwww.wanttopark.com/ bathnes.”

Circus area residents have secured parking for 10p an hourfor visitors