All you need to know about Eastbourne parking charges increase

Plans to increase parking charges across Eastbourne – and in some cases double the price – were rubber-stamped this week.
Traffic Warden in Eastbourne (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-180726-093202008Traffic Warden in Eastbourne (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-180726-093202008
Traffic Warden in Eastbourne (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-180726-093202008

East Sussex County Council, which runs the pay to park scheme in Eastbourne, Hastings and Lewes, proposed the increases last year and they were approved by the authority’s lead transport member Claire Dowling at a meeting on Monday (January 20).

The changes to the cost of parking permits and pay and display charges will come into effect in April.

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The county council says the increase comes after a public consultation into measures aimed at “reducing congestion and improving air quality in East Sussex’s busy town centres by managing demand for parking and encouraging the use of more sustainable methods of transport”.

The council says the cost of residents’ permits will be based on CO2 emissions and standardised across Lewes, Eastbourne and Hastings for the first time, while on-street hourly pay and display tariffs would increase by between 20p and £1.90.

A spokesperson said, “The increased charges would be used to cover the cost of the parking scheme, with any surplus ring-fenced for use on transport and highways initiatives, such as to contribute to the cost of concessionary bus passes and subsidised bus services.”

In Eastbourne, the cost of residents’ permits will rise from £25 a year to £95 although therer will be discounts for environmentally friendly vehicles,

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The price of business permits is also set to rise from £420 to £546 and electric or LPG car users will see their permits rise from £100 to £130.

Daily resident visitor permits rise from 50p to £1.20; health care worker/carer permits also go up from 50p to £1.20; trade permits rise from £2 to £4.50 and the cost of hotel guest permits doubles from £1 to £2.

The cost of parking in bays for 15 minutes, 30 minutes, one hour and two hours will all virtually double and motorists who currently pay £3 to park for two hours will, from April, pay £5.85.

The cost of parking all day on Eastbourne seafront is currently £4 but that will rise to £7.80.

Coach drivers are also seeing their charges increase from £4 to £7.80.

The council says the new charges are subject to an annual review.