Plans to scale back Sunderland's 'Free after Three' scheme and hike parking charges approved by city leaders

Sunderland City Council’s ruling cabinet agreed the changes this week as part of a major review of parking services and moving traffic enforcement.

The Free after Three scheme allows for free parking from 3pm to midnight.

Under revised proposals, car parks including St Mary’s and Sunniside, with a combined 1,133 spaces, won’t be free at any time, although the initiative will continue at five smaller surface car parks.

The five sites on the periphery of the city centre include Gorse Road in Ashbrooke, Charles Street, West Wear Street, Tatham Street and Nile Street.

There will also be a 10p hourly parking rate increase across parking spaces in the city, with the last review taking place five years ago.

City leaders have previously stressed that overnight parking between 6pm and 8am at seven car parks in the city is free and will remain so.

The local authority also said the proposed changes are because Free after Three is not encouraging more consumers into city centre shops and that it wants more people to avoid driving to reduce Sunderland’s carbon footprint.

At a meeting of Sunderland City Council’s ruling cabinet on September 7, 2023, city leaders voted unanimously for the changes to be implemented from January, 2024.

Councillor Kevin Johnston, cabinet member for Dynamic City, introduced a report on parking service changes at City Hall.

Councillors heard that parking charges “help reduce congestion and support the shift towards sustainable and active travel”.

Cllr Johnston continued: “The council extended Free after Three during 2021 to provide short-term support for businesses and social distancing during the pandemic.

“It is proposed to resume parking charges at St Mary’s, Sunniside and Broughton Street car parks, as well as city centre on-street pay and display locations.

“This would bring charging rates broadly in line with the private operators in the city centre.

“It is proposed to retain the Free after Three scheme in five car parks on the periphery of the city centre, these car parks are within a 10 minute walking distance to the core centre and provide 260 parking spaces.

“This will provide a balanced approach to sustainable traffic objectives whilst continuing to support the city centre economy.

“Parking charges have not been reviewed since 2018 and it is proposed to increase all locations by 10p per hour to encourage greater take up of active travel and public transport.

“It is also proposed to introduce a £3 charge on Sundays and Bank Holidays at all city centre surface car parks, the £3 charge was broadly in line with existing public transport costs to bring a balanced approach.

“It is also proposed to extend on-street parking charges from Monday to Saturday to all days, this will discourage excessive parking in the core city centre on a Sunday”.

Parking proposals have previously been criticised by Sunderland City Council’s Conservative and Liberal Democrat opposition groups, with the Lib Dems suggesting the changes could be “another nail in the coffin” for the city centre.

Councillor Paul Edgeworth, leader of the main Liberal Democrat opposition group on the council, spoke at the cabinet meeting this week and urged city leaders to reconsider the proposals.

The Lib Dem councillor said the council’s Labour leaders could also “pause” the changes to allow for consultation with residents and independent businesses.

Cllr Edgeworth told the meeting: “We have to be more competitive as Newcastle and Durham have more shops than us and the Metrocentre has free parking.

“I think despite what the report says, this sends out the wrong message at the wrong time when residents, and particularly independent businesses, are really struggling. This is the last thing they need.

“I think you should pause this and go and do some more consultation with residents and really speak to those independent businesses as many of them are telling us they don’t want this to go ahead.”

A report to cabinet states that the changes are to “actively encourage a modal shift away from the use of private cars towards more sustainable modes of transport, without harming regeneration and the economic activity of the city”.

It also states that: “Research that has been carried out on the current Free after Three offer in the city centre demonstrates that there is no data to support the view that people are visiting the city centre at 3pm or after to take advantage of business and leisure facilities.

“The research shows that the majority of customers taking advantage of this offer are those who are arriving earlier in the day and are taking advantage of the reduced parking charges from 3pm as part of their commute or would be visiting the city centre anyway.”

New parking proposals are expected to be introduced in January, 2024.

The council has also confirmed that charges are not rising for residents’ permits or for business permits on Wearside.