Changes to some car parking fees

The cost of parking in the Sheep Market and Westlode Street district council car parks is set to go up.

South Holland District Council has advertised the measures are coming into place and charges are being introduced on the gym side of the Castle Sports Complex.

The authority says it won’t be introducing charges to park at the Gore Lane car park yet, despite listing charges in the same advertisement.

However when The Voice asked if that meant there would be a resurfacing of that car park a council spokesman said: “There are currently no plans to introduce charges for Gore Lane, the change to the order gives the council the option to reassess this at such a time as it was deemed suitable in the future.”

Parking in Westlode Street will be £1 for one hour, £1.50 for two hours, £2 for up to three hours and £2.50 for up to the maximum four hours.

It is currently £1 for two hours.

The car park is privately owned but managed by the district council.

A spokesman said: “The changes are further to discussions with the owner and will align the charges closer to the rest of Spalding charges.”

The other measures being brought in were previously announced last October but not implemented alongside other price increases and changes in January.

The cost of parking in the Sheep Market will increase from 80p to £1.

The charges for the gym side of the Castle Sports Complex, which are set to be the same as the ones listed for Westlode Street, are ready to be introduced after the district council finalised a scheme that will mean leisure centre users will be able to apply for permits they can display in their vehicles so they’re exempt from paying the new charges.

A council spokesman said: “The council are committed to keeping parking free for any users of the leisure facilities at Castle Sports Centre.

“The notice supports the requirement for permits to be displayed in order to qualify for this free parking.”

On the new changes as a whole the spokesman continued: “There were a number of reports that went through our committee processes in late 2019 and early 2020 looking at changes to parking across the whole of Spalding.

“Some of these were consulted on and implemented in January, with those that required additional processes now being officially consulted upon to add them to our car parking order.

“We will be following the timescales as set out in law and look to enforce the relevant options in the coming months.”