Cost of residents’ parking permits are set to rise

THE cost of residents’ parking permits is set to rise under plans revealed by Devon County Council.

If approved, the price of permits will increase to £35 for a property’s first vehicle, a rise of £5. Second permits will then be priced higher depending on the vehicles’ carbon emissions, while extra permits on top of that will cost £65.

All residential permits currently cost £30; a price the council says hasn’t increased since 2015. The price for a business permit for one vehicle is also going up to £35.

Explaining the move – which does not apply to Plymouth and Torbay – the county council said the consumer price index has increased approximately 19.5% since the last rise – more than the planned base permit increase of approximately 17%.

Under the proposed new scheme, which follows a public consultation, the only residential permits that will be priced according to a vehicle’s carbon emissions will be the second one in a household.

They will be £45 for electric and low-emitting vehicles in Band A (less than 100g/km), £55 for Bands B-K (101-225g/ km) and £65 for the worst emitting vehicles in Bands L-M (226+ g/km)

A property’s first permit will be £35 irrespective of carbon emissions, as will the £65 price for a third vehicle or any additional ones.

Permits will also be required for motorcycles (first permit £35, second permit £45, extra permits £65).

Once the new scheme has been adopted all future permits will be issued virtually, which the council says will benefit the environment and see a reduction in waste.

It claims the new pricing structure will “positively affect a reduction in consumption of fossil fuels in private vehicles by encouraging the uptake of fuel efficient/low emission vehicles and discouraging multiple car ownership.

“It is hoped more people will consider changing their mode of travel or adopt other sustainable modes of travel.”

Some other changes to the permit scheme include:

Refunds will be issued for part-used virtual permits.

Introduction of virtual visitor permits which will be available as an alternative to physical ones.

£30 per batch of 350 hours (allocated in one-hour sessions) for schemes operating at all times (24hr/7days).

£30 per batch of 200 hours (allocated in one-hour sessions) for schemes not operating at all times.

Virtual visitor permits will be required for motorcycles.

Refunds will be issued for part-used batches of virtual visitor permits.