FAQs
- Kings Parade / Coastal Drive, New Brighton
- North Parade / Meols Parade, Hoylake and Meols
- South Parade, West Kirby
- Derby Pool Car Park, New Brighton
- The Gunsite Car Park, Leasowe
- Other Off-Street Car Parks
- Fort Perch Rock Car Park, New Brighton
- Chamberlain Street Car Park, Birkenhead
- Old Chester Road-Chamberlain Street Car Park, Birkenhead
- Turner Street Car Park, Birkenhead
- Banks Road Car Park, Heswall
- Roslin Road Car Park, Irby
- Fishers Lane Car Park, Pensby
- Carr Lane Car Park, Hoylake
- Charles Road Car Park, Hoylake
- Market Street Car Park, Hoylake
- Barlow Avenue Car Park, Bebington
- Church Road Car Park, Bebington
- Roland Avenue Car Park, Bebington
- Allport Lane Car Park, Bromborough
- Mill Park Drive Car Park, Eastham
- Manor Road Car Park, Liscard
- Garden Lane Car Park, Moreton
- Holt Avenue Car Park, Moreton
- Pasture Road Car Park, Moreton
- Thurstaston Common Car Park, Thurstaston
- £1.20 for up to 1 hour
- £2.40 for up to 2 hours
- £3.60 for up to 3 hours
- £4.80 for up to 4 hours
- £6.00 for over 4 hours or all day
- Kings Parade / Coastal Drive, New Brighton
- North Parade / Meols Parade, Hoylake and Meols
- South Parade, West Kirby
What are council parking charges?
The council charges the public for parking at certain car parks and at on-street locations. The council uses parking charges to help manage traffic.
In September 2021, parking charges were standardised across council-owned charged car parking facilities. The standardisation saw some tariffs increase whilst others reduced. Prior to this the council’s parking charges had not increased since 2017.
Why are the council proposing these changes?
The introduction of charges in parking facilities owned by the council that aren’t currently charged and the increased charges in existing council-owned parking facilities will deliver on the aims and objectives within the Cool 2 Climate Strategy, approved by the council in December 2019 and Wirral’s Parking Strategy, approved by the council in December 2023.
If approved, these changes would allow the council to meet the costs of continuing to provide dedicated public car parking in a fair way and address future parking impacts by ensuring that any new parking plans are self-financing.
Where are the new locations that parking charges are going to be introduced?
Parking charges are proposed to be introduced at a number of locations around the borough. These include:
You can have your say on these locations by taking part in the survey.
When are the charges for the new locations going to come in?
All objections and comments made within the survey will be reported back to the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee before any decisions are taken to introduce the charges. Due to the process, we suspect that any charges introduced in any new locations will not be until Winter 2024/ 2025.
Won't charging at new locations harm local business?
The changes are designed to encourage a regular turnover of parking spaces so that the businesses can get a variety of customers throughout their business day and more people can have access to parking spaces.
The impact on businesses was also considered as part of the detailed parking strategy developed for Wirral. This strategy was approved by the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee and published in December 2023.
Within this, a study was undertaken in 2022/2023, which also showed that people who walk or cycle or take public transport may spend longer at the shops and spend more money.
The impact of theses charges, including the impact on businesses, will be monitored as these charges are rolled out.
How much will the parking charges cost?
Charges were standardised in September 2021 meaning that parking in any council owned location in Wirral, including these new locations, will cost the same. Parking charges have not increased since September 2021. The current parking charges will see an inflationary increase.
The new scale of parking charges will be £1.20 per hour, up to a maximum of £6 for all day parking between the hours of 8am to 6.30pm. Charges will be:
Car park permits are available for traders at £720 per year
On-Street permits are available at £680 per year
Wirral Country Parks Permits are available for all users £120 per year
An overnight charge of £1 between the hours of 6:30pm and 8am will also apply in all areas.
How can I pay for parking?
Our Payment machines do not accept cash. You can pay by card, either contactless or chip and pin, pay by telephone or through the JustPark app. Full details on how to pay for your parking and location ID can be found on the payment machine.
If I park during the day and want to remain parked into the evening or overnight, do I have to return to my car park pay the overnight parking charge?
If you know you are going to be parked beyond 6.30pm then you can pay for this parking at the same time as paying for your parking before 6.30pm. The payment machine will adjust the expiry time based on your rate of payment.
Alternatively, if you pay via the App you can extend your parking time from anywhere, you do not need to return to the payment machine or your vehicle. SMS/ Text reminders are an option and a useful way of reminding you that your parking time is due to expire.
Why are you proposing parking charges for on-street parking?
Parking charges are proposed for on-street parking as well as car parks to try and limit displacement from car parks to on-street parking. By charging the same across both on-street and car parks, neither is therefore more favourable than the other in terms of cost and as well as limiting displacement, this should also prevent congestion and better manage parking at our on-street locations.
In which areas are you introducing on-street parking charges?
Parking charges for on-street parking are proposed for coastal areas. These include:
I’m concerned that the proposed parking charges may lead to displaced parking outside my house, what are the council going to do about it?
It’s not possible to say exactly what might happen following the introduction of parking charges so each location will be monitored. Parking charges are being proposed for both car parks and on-street locations to help limit any displacement from car parks as both will then be just as favourable as each other in terms of cost. Additional traffic management measures such as residents parking zones and yellow lines will be considered where essential for the safety of road users.
I live in one of the proposed areas for parking charges and I don’t have any off-street parking at my house. Will I be provided with a resident pass to be exempt for the charges?
The council does not have to provide on-street parking for residents. The council’s roads and streets are a public highway and available for all legal road users to access.
Why is it necessary to have to pay for resident parking schemes?
As the council does not have to provide on-street parking for residents, schemes are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Costs are required for the initial set up of the scheme for members of the traffic management team to assess and research the area and set up the scheme. An ongoing cost is then required to ensure that the parking scheme can be implemented effectively now and into the future.
Other councils in the area also charge for such schemes, with cost varying between £75 to over £700 each year. In Wirral, we are proposing a lower cost than this, of £60 each year.
Can my neighbours and I apply to have a residents parking scheme for our road?
There are currently strict criteria that need to be met for residents parking schemes to be implemented. View details of the current scheme
The council is currently reviewing its residents parking policy, applicable criteria, and charges for permits.
Applications for new resident parking schemes that are a result of the new parking charges will only be considered once the impacts have been fully reviewed and there may need to be a new application process for residents to apply to.
I am a volunteer for the council. Will I be entitled to any parking concessions?
The council currently provides a limited number of permits to some volunteer groups in some of our country parks.
Volunteers play a huge role in helping Wirral look its best and the council will continue to offer a permit for those that provide valuable public service so that they are exempt from paying parking charges. Permits will, however, be limited and the distribution and sharing of permits would need to be managed by a council officer and the secretary of the group concerned.
Groups (not individual volunteers) may talk to our parking team and request a permit by emailing parking.engineer@wirral.gov.uk
Will any of these changes affect Blue Badge holders?
No. Blue Badge holders do not need to pay for parking as long as they display a valid Blue Badge permit.
How can I have my say on the Traffic Regulation Order to introduce these new charges?
You can have your say on the new charges until Wednesday 23rd of October 2024. To do this, you can complete the survey on the previous page.
More details of the proposals can be viewed in the documents tab of the Have Your Say page for this project and, if wanted, a copy of the plans and supporting documents can be requested by emailing parking.engineer@wirral.gov.uk or by phoning the council’s contact centre on 0151 606 2004.