Darlington Parking Charges To Increase in Town Centre During 2025

Darlington will soon raise parking fees for visitors. The council recently approved new spending plans, and this change will happen later this year. Leaders called the decision tough but necessary because they face major money problems at the local level.

Short stay parking will cost £1.20 per hour, with a maximum charge of £5 initially. Long stay parking will be £5 per day, and a weekly ticket will cost £20. Then, it drops to £1 per hour after the initial charge.

Currently, visitors pay £1 per hour to park for both short and long stays. The new fees should bring in £500,000 for the council, and they expect changes to start this spring.

Libby McCollom spoke at a council meeting, stating that parking subsidies are unsustainable and unfair to residents. The proposal supports parking and road upkeep, while also funding community safety projects. According to McCollom, it’s better than cutting local services.

Last year, free festive parking was rejected, leading some to fear that this decision would hurt businesses. A motion proposed free parking to boost the town, but Labour members defended the choice, arguing that free parking wasn’t affordable. They also praised the town center’s success.

Foot traffic in Darlington increased in late 2024 compared to the late months of 2023. September 2024 saw 1.46 million visitors, the highest number since June 2023, and car park usage also improved during this period.

McCollom noted that the parking prices are competitive, and the council declared that its parking remains popular. December 2024 saw the best car park numbers in ten years, demonstrating that ending free parking didn’t ruin the town center.