Free parking to be scrapped at ten Bristol car parks including for blue badge holders

The changes will be discussed by Bristol City Council Credit: Stock image

Several free car parks are set to become pay and display in Bristol.

Drivers will have to pay to park in 10 district car parks from the autumn, while another four will be sold off.

It is part of Bristol City Council's plan to improve enforcement and stop drivers parking in spaces all day.

The four car parks being sold off are hotspots for anti-social behaviour, according to the council.

Blue badge holders will not have to pay to use any of these car parks.

The cost of installing the pay and display machines is estimated to be around £80,000 and the changes are expected to be signed off by the cabinet tomorrow (January 24).

A cabinet report said: “Parking services propose to sell the four car parks with low occupancy as demand for parking is low, and as the only potential remaining free car parks they will operate at a cost to the service for the continued maintenance and upkeep.

“The occupancy levels at 10 of the other free district car parks are relatively high, so there is a reasonable degree of confidence that the introduction of pay and display in these will enable improved management.

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"The scheme will make enforcement more efficient, discouraging all day parking, maximising the use of space, and ensuring effective turnover of spaces.”

The 10 free car parks becoming pay and display are:

  • Beechwood Road in Frome Vale

  • Callington Road in Brislington

  • Chalks Road in St George

  • Derby Street in St George

  • Ducie Road in Lawrence Hill

  • Machin Road in Henbury

  • Repton Road in Brislington

  • Stoke View Road in Eastville

  • Waverley Road in Shirehampton

  • Westbury Hill in Westbury.

The four car parks being sold off are at Clayton Street in Avonmouth, Harden Road in Stockwood, Queens Road in Withywood, and Ridingleaze in Lawrence Weston.

The parking department gets a lot of complaints of anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping at the car park at Clayton Street. There are plans to close it with fences or barriers blocking the entrance.

Credit: Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporter