THREE Labour councillors are challenging plans to increase the cost for people in one Wirral town to park outside their own home by £50. They argue around 2,000 people could be affected in Liscard by the plans which Wirral Council initially said it would be coming in from October 28.

Wirral Council is currently asking for public opinion on plans to bring in parking charges for 22 car parks that are currently free as well as roads in three coastal areas around Wallasey, Hoylake and Meols, and West Kirby. Separate to that consultation, it was also planning to increase parking fees at places it currently charges as well as increasing the cost of resident parking permits from £10 to £60.

Across the borough, posters have been displayed on lampposts telling people about the increases in Birkenhead, Moreton, Prenton, Wallasey, Heswall, New Brighton, Liscard, Poulton, Tranmere, and Woodchurch. In 15 areas with permits in place, charges could go up to £60 each for residents and £40 each for visitors.

The notice initially said the new permit charges would be introduced on October 28 as Wirral Council is not legally required to consult the public but just had to let them know the changes were happening. However, Liscard’s councillors, Jan Williamson, Graeme Cooper, and James Laing, said many people had contacted them “absolutely oppose being faced with a huge and disproportionate hike” and were “extremely shocked” to see the notices, something they said made “a mockery of the ‘consultation’ process and renders it completely meaningless.”

Roughly 6000 permits have been issued across Wirral with a third of these being in Liscard. The councillors, all of whom represent Wirral’s largest party, said they “have asked that this be investigated as a matter of urgency” and plan to raise concerns when the charges are eventually debated by councillors.

They said many in the area didn’t have driveways and “were forced to subscribe to the scheme because they live near to shops and other amenities, and motorists were parking outside their properties in order to avoid car park charges.” One resident, Denise Riding, said she was “appalled and furious,” adding: “It will have a huge impact on families and households and it still won’t guarantee a parking space outside or near your home.”

She said: “Where will that leave larger families with more than one car, and those of us who enjoy visits from our grandchildren and children?”

Cllr Williamson said it was “such an unfairly targeted proposal” while Cllr Laing said: “It would be unfair to burden [people in Liscard] with such a huge cost just so that they can park near their homes.”

Cllr Cooper, who was elected in July, said: “In busy areas like Liscard, residents’ parking schemes are needed to help prevent local people from being pushed out of on-street parking by shoppers who don’t want to pay to use car parks. However, residents should not be penalised simply for not having houses with private driveways.”

Wirral Council declined to respond to the criticisms due to the ongoing consultation. On its website, Wirral Council now says the plan was for all the changes to be reported back to councillors and the changes for permits were “the first increase of charges for a number of years and is reflective of inflation over this time.”

A letter responding to concerns in New Brighton over the parking plans by Dame Angela Eagle MP said she understood “the administration cost to the council is higher than the income generated from the residents’ parking permit schemes.”

Wirral Council will start pulling down all the notices telling people the charges will be coming on October 28. In a message to councillors, the local authority said: “The council has erroneously indicated, through these notices, that the change to existing resident parking scheme charges would be effective from 28 October 2024. However, we can confirm that no changes will be made before members of the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee make a decision on the level of the appropriate fees.

“Therefore, we are removing notices regarding the proposals to increase existing resident permit parking charges and ending that process for the time being.”