With recent rises in some public car parks in busy tourist areas, Dorset Council is urging people to check the cost benefits of its permits.
The cost of its permits has been frozen this year, with the Short Stay and Flexi car park permits offering savings:
Short Stay
Two hours parking every day in most of the council’s car parks.
Cost: £78 a year
How the savings add up:
If used for 2 hours a week = £1.50 a time.
If used for 2 hours daily = just over 21p a time.
Apply online for the short stay permit
Flexi
For residents, businesses and workers.
Unlimited (or up to the maximum stay permitted by the car park) parking in the majority of the council’s car parks 7 days a week.
Cost: £25 if purchased for a month, or £260 for 12 months, the equivalent of £5 a week for all-day, year-round parking.
Apply online for the flexi car park permit
While the council has introduced seasonal increases at car parks in busy resort and seafront areas, prices for tickets in other nearby car parks have not increased.
For example, in Weymouth, Governors Lane, Nothe car park and the former council offices car park at North Quay park charges remain unchanged.
Find all Dorset Council’s car parks.
Councillor Ray Bryan, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said: “With rising inflation over the past year, the cost of running and maintaining our car parks has increased significantly. We have strived to minimise the impact on residents and businesses, keeping tariffs in car parks outside busy seafront areas at last year’s prices.
“Furthermore, our money-saving permit costs have been frozen. In these challenging times, where the cost of living is on the rise, we urge anyone who regularly uses our car parks, even if it’s just once a week, to explore the suitability of a permit.”
As well as freezing the price of permits, overnight free parking remains between 6pm and 8am, Monday to Sunday (unless otherwise specified as 24 hours).
A paper parking permit is available for people without access to a smart phone or other online services, telephone 01305 221000 for details.
