Car parking tariffs to increase by 20p for short stay in Bury St Edmunds
The price for parking in Bury St Edmunds town centre is set to increase from May 12 by 20p in short stay car parks, and 50p in Ram Meadow.
West Suffolk Council has said the income will pay for associated costs which include over £1 million in Business Rates that it has to pay for the car parks, and a continuing programme of maintenance and improvements that has seen more than £2.2m invested in car parks over the past four years.
As well as this, car parking income also helps pay for other work that supports the town centre including street cleaning and CCTV.
West Suffolk Council is continuing to invest in Bury St Edmunds town centre not least through a range of markets events, The Abbey Gardens, The Apex, Moyse’s Hall Museum, and its work with Our Bury St Edmunds and other town centre partners.
David Taylor, the cabinet member for Operations at West Suffolk Council, said: “Car parking tariffs are used to manage the turnover of spaces to ensure that shoppers and visitors can find a convenient place to park close to the town centre, and to ensure there is sufficient availability of spaces for people who want or need to stay for longer including town centre workers.
“It is important that we manage our car parks through tariffs to maintain the balance of short and long stay spaces which are so vital to supporting the town centre and our strategic priority for sustainable growth.
“This income will also support works including the replacement of ticket machines to improve their reliability, £60,000 of improvements to the Bury Leisure Centre car park in 2025/26 and around £300,000 of major works to the Arc underground car park which we are looking to schedule in 2026/27.”
The tariff increases are now subject to a variation notice which runs to Friday April 18, during which people may make comment by emailing parking@westsuffolk.gov.uk or writing to West Suffolk Council, Admin Office Level 6, Parkway Multi-Storey Car Park, Parkway, Bury St Edmunds IP33 3BA.
The council is also ending its subsidy of a 20p admin charge for people using RingGo in West Suffolk Council car parks.