This meeting will include a report about charging for parking at Whaley Bridge Train Station.

Whaley Bridge Train Station Car Park

The meeting report pack includes an item about car parking at Whaley Bridge Train Station. The document explains that Northern Rail (NR) contacted the council earlier in 2024 with the intention of implementing pay and display parking at the station car park, part of which is owned by the council.

Whilst as a Council, we would not want to see charging on this car park, NR is clear that it will begin charging.

The report explains that the council is concerned that if NR begins charging for their portion of the car park, but the council does not, it will lead to confusion, and put a strain on council resources.

The concern is that there could be a significant drain on Officer time as well as the potential for bad publicity for the Council.

The report therefore recommends that the council approves an arrangement that would see NR begin charging for parking across the whole car park, with two bays being reserved for blue badge holders. Under this arrangement, NR would be responsible for the operational costs associated with managing the car park, and would provide the council with a third of the gross income.