‘Anything that puts off customers is a disaster’: Wakefield parking row sparks fresh debate

The changes have prompted a fresh debate among Wakefield Express readers.

There have been calls for a compromise, questions over the council’s financial calculations and comparisons with neighbouring towns.

Louisa Ashton warned the loss of free parking could discourage people from making quick trips into town.

“Anything which puts off potential customers is a disaster,” she said.

She added that the issue was not simply about the cost of parking, but whether shoppers would choose to visit supermarkets offering free parking instead of local shops.

Philip Watson called for a shorter free parking period to help businesses whose customers only need to stop briefly.

“All we ask is just 30 minutes free, just 30 mins that's all.” he said.

Mr Watson said customers at his shop often only needed to drop off or collect items for repair.

He said similar short visits were common at other independent businesses.

David Murtagh also raised concerns about the timing of the change.

He said they should not have been introduced until after Christmas to allow Wakefield businesses to benefit from festive footfall.

Brinley Pelzer pointed to Barnsley as an example of a town offering a different approach, saying three hours of free parking on Saturdays made a difference to visits to its town centre and market.

He said people were prepared to drive a little further to shop there rather than visit Wakefield.

However, other readers defended the decision, arguing that parking was not truly free if the cost was being covered by taxpayers.

Neil Roper said: “It’s not free parking though is it, if it’s subsidised by the taxpayer then it’s not free.”

He also suggested the debate had become entangled in local party politics.

Rachel Dyson similarly backed the changes, arguing that parking charges in Wakefield were not excessive compared with those in Leeds and Manchester.

She said: “Money doesn’t grow on trees and the parking fee isn’t extortionate unlike Leeds, Manchester etc.”

Chris Christine Hancock suggested people unhappy with the charges could make use of the £2 bus fare instead.

The council's financial case for scrapping the scheme was questioned by Ian Lindsay, who asked how the authority had calculated the expected income and whether it had assessed the possible impact on local businesses.

He also questioned whether potential business closures and the resulting loss of business rates had been factored into the decision.

Patricia Goodall, 79, said she did not object to paying for parking, arguing that people should be prepared to contribute towards the cost.

The two-hour free parking scheme was reintroduced by the previous Labour administration in 2025 in an effort to encourage people to visit town centres and support local businesses.

But the Reform-led council voted to scrap the concession on October 20, saying a review had found it made little difference to footfall and cost around £1.8 million a year.

Other measures approved or put forward as part of the parking review include a free 30-minute period for on-street parking, the removal of the 15p digital payment fee and a consultation on a £1 evening parking rate.