Summer rain blamed for parking revenue loss

AWEST council is blaming poor summer weather for it failing to receive as much car parking revenue as it anticipated.

Dorset Council said most of the expected £2.65 million end of financial year overspend in its highways department is due to a “significant gap” between the car park budget set in April and the actual levels of income.

Although income by the end of September was up overall by 14.5%, that was less than the council had anticipated after hiking parking fees earlier in the year.

That hike led to more than 7,000 people in the Weymouth area petitioning the council to reduce parking fees, claiming it would impact on the local economy.

In a report to councillors into the reasons for a £13.6 million projected shortfall in the council’s Place directorate, which includes highways, officials said a number of factors have knocked budget predictions sideways.

A report to an audit committee said: “The Highways forecast has worsened by £1.87m and is now forecasting an overspend of £2.655m, which mostly relates to car parking income.

“Following the conclusion of the main visitor season, it is clear that current activity means there will be a significant gap between the budget set and the actual levels of income being received.”

The council’s budget process for the 2023-24 financial year had forecast a 25% increase in car parking fees each and every month, although in the usually busy July they rose by just 4.3% and in August by 6%.

The director in charge of these services, Matthew Piles, told councillors that the summer had been much worse for visitor numbers than expected, causing a big dip in anticipated car park income, although by October total car parking income paid to the council had equalled what was earned in the whole of the previous year.

The council said no profit is made from car parking and any excess, after running costs and investment in the service is deducted, is used to support the maintenance and improvement of the county’s roads.

Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images > A dull and rainy summer in Weymouth and beyond hit car parking income