Business owners and Wales Online readers are warning that new car parking charges set to be introduced in two Welsh towns could drive customers away and cause fellow traders to struggle. Vale of Glamorgan Council’s cabinet members have agreed in principle to introduce charges for certain car parks in and around Barry and Penarth, as well as new charges for on-street car parking at Barry Island and Penarth seafront.
The council is currently facing a budget shortfall of £14.8m for 2025-26 and believes the changes could generate income and savings worth about £500,000. However, businesses, residents and local councillors are opposing the proposals.
Louis Ross, of the Barrybados shop at Barry Island, said: “I understand that people who visit this area from out of the Vale expect to pay a charge to park. It is the residents of Barry and the Vale who just want to come down here, three or four times a week to walk a dog, walk with the kids after school – they are being punished.”
He added: “It is going to drive business away, it is as simple as that. There is “no argument about it. If my takings go down, I will have to cut down on staff. I think it is a big mistake.”
Commenter Stormbringer says: “So, as a pensioner, we have lost £300 heating allowance, my small private pension now means I pay tax, I live in Barry and pay my council tax towards these facilities already and no discount for us, which means we are paying not only twice but more than tourists. This will remove some of the small pleasures we have left.”
Sometimesiamright states: “Councils care little for businesses that create the wealth that pay for these ‘leeches’. Without the income generated by visitors and locals many of the businesses will fail and jobs lost. Many town centres have become ‘chanty towns’ because of the greed of councils. First it will be £1 per hour and 500 less shoppers, then £2 per hour and 1000 less shoppers paying for parking and 10 less shops, and so on and so on
Cathaysresident agrees: “Speaking personally there are a few places I no longer bother with due to the parking charges. I blame it partly on people using cashless methods of payment all the time. It makes it attractive to put parking fee machines in places where having to retrieve cash would have made it uneconomical.”
Jimmyj points out: “The more costs you impose, the less money will be spent. Shops will close leading to a loss of business rates, more people out of work and more benefits.”
Mr Fabulous is angry: “Tourist tax, parking tax, ice cream tax – two years later no one’s paying tax because no one’s coming anymore!”
Styo agrees: “On-street parking charges destroy a common good, reduce economic activity and are bad for business (which is bad for rates, employment, regeneration). A public body charging people more isn’t ‘wealth creation’ ; it’s more like killing geese that lay golden eggs. Unless we have some killer USP as to why visitors need to come here rather than anywhere else (spoiler alert: we don’t) then such a market will be correspondingly highly price sensitive and any competitive disadvantage loaded into one end of the sausage machine comes directly out the back. Barry is not Paris or Edinburgh.”
Over_The_Road suggests: “If they must charge for parking for extra income, could they at least make it seasonal or weekend/ summer season only?”
WR2 sighs: “That’s the way to do it, deter the spending public by car parking charges. Has the council not heard of diminishing returns? The more you charge the less you get. Bet there is no reduction for blue badge holders either.”
Pastcaring says: “Well that will be the end of our trips down to the Knap for a coffee and a walk around the park.”
How do you feel about the new parking charges? Yet another tax on the tourist or a good way of raising extra revenue? Have your say in our comments section.