Dorset Council to seek feedback on parking proposals

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Several vehicles in a car park
Dorset Council's Cabinet is being asked to approve a more local approach to parking charges,

Subject to Cabinet approval, residents, businesses and community groups will be invited to provide feedback on proposed changes to Dorset Council’s parking services.

Cabinet is being asked to approve a more local approach to parking charges, replacing the current three-tier system with arrangements that reflect individual car parks and the communities they serve. Public and stakeholder engagement will inform any further changes. Cabinet is also being asked to grant delegated authority to the Executive Director for Economy and Environment, in liaison with the Cabinet Member for Place, to agree those changes following engagement.

The proposals follow a review of all 82 council-run car parks, covering more than 11,000 parking spaces.

The review considered parking charges alongside the needs of residents, businesses and visitors. It also examined accessibility, road safety and how parking supports town centres and wider transport priorities.

The proposals cover:

  • Measures to reduce congestion and improve parking availability
  • Investment in technology, signage and customer service improvements
  • Accessibility improvements
  • Better parking enforcement to reduce dangerous parking
  • Existing permit schemes and resident parking arrangements
  • Parking charges and seasonal pricing in areas where demand varies throughout the year
  • Introducing charges at some currently free car parks

Cllr Jack Jeanes, Dorset Council's Cabinet Member for Place, said: "Parking affects almost everyone who lives in, works in or visits Dorset. This review looks at how our car parks operate and what residents, businesses and visitors need from them.

"It is about more than charges. Clearer signage, easier-to-use technology, better accessibility and effective enforcement all matter to people using our car parks.

"We want to understand what the proposed changes would mean for residents, businesses and community groups. Their feedback will inform any further changes made following engagement."

Parking charges at Dorset Council car parks have not changed for 2026/27. Any changes to parking charges arising from the review will not take effect before April 2027.

The review found significant differences in demand across Dorset. Some town centre and coastal car parks regularly experience high demand, while others have spare capacity.

Cllr Nick Ireland, Dorset Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate, Communications, Performance and Safeguarding, said: "Different places face different challenges. What works in a busy coastal destination may not be right for a market town or somewhere with spare parking capacity.

"Our approach needs to reflect those differences, support local businesses and help people get to the shops and services they need.

"Managing parking demand more effectively can also help reduce unnecessary traffic, ease congestion and improve air quality. Encouraging cleaner vehicle use is another way parking can help us respond to the climate crisis while supporting economic growth."

Subject to Cabinet approval, public and stakeholder engagement will begin later in 2026. Feedback will be considered in 2027, with any further changes agreed by the Executive Director for Economy and Environment, in liaison with the Cabinet Member for Place, under the delegated authority. Details of how and when to provide feedback will be published following Cabinet approval.

 

Categories: Parking Services

Comments

14 Comments

Comment by posted
How would the proposed changed affect the short term parking permit?
Comment by posted
Please don't increase Dorset town's parking charges. Local business is finding life hard enough without high parking charges detering shoppers. We want to support the local shops in Dorset not be put off by higher priced parking.
Comment by posted
Higher parking charges simply discoourage footfall in high streets, and encourages out of town and Internet shopping. Shopping used to be a leisure experience, but if one is rushing round just for essentials because of parking costs then that experience is ruined. It is EXACTLY that reason that we have stopped visiting Frome. (That, and the difficulty of finding public toilets. Not only do we need to P we need to pee)
Comment by posted
I think its an a absokute disgrace. We pay one of the higher council tax rates across the South Coast. What about removing spend from pet and vanity projects that are costing the county a fortune.    parking charges having proven to kill neighbourhood and town shopping centres.    Verwood has a small town centre and if parking charges were apied less people would go to the local shops, the heritage centre would really suffer.    Also what occurs is an overspill of people popping to a shop that rather than paying for parking will just stop on a road, single and double yellow mean nothing as police are not interested and nor is traffic enforcement if you can get someone.    Stop the waste, stop the charity donations of our taxes. This is not your money to use for pet projects.     
Comment by posted
Please also consider the size of parking spaces.
Comment by posted
Monmouth Road, Wareham, BH20 4QF . Vehicles parking on both sides of this road cause many problems. Ambulances, Waste bin collection lorries & delivery vans frequently have to reverse to get out onto the main road. Often cars & commercial vechicles park half way across the pavements blocking wheel chair users, push chairs and disabled people when attending the doctors surgery. Several residents have difficulty getting cars out of their driveways due to inconsiderate parking. A double yellow line along all of one side of the road may ease the problem which is becoming a hazard.          
Comment by posted
First hour free worked very well. We can't afford to go to Weymouth anymore but if the first hour was free we would.
Comment by posted
Seeking feedback time is usually too late to change things, so here are two proposals now: -Make parking free for Blue Badge holders. -Consider a system where block credit can be bought and used up against actual parking times.    Thank you
Comment by posted
Weymouth. Please keep the free parking 6pm-8am.
Comment by posted
I think you should not put charges up. The percentage amounts you are suggesting  are excessive. We should be celebrating our small local businesses and encouraging footfall, this would be extremely detrimental to the "shop local" ethos. Shopping local means less travelling and it keeps towns busy and thriving. Parking charges have been hiked massively in Bournemouth, which has become a ghost town with empty shops an an increase in crime. So sad to see this happening.  Huge parking increases affect trade and also the people who work in shops who have to pay much more of their wages on high parking fees.  
Comment by posted
Please ensure that car park charges can be paid by card/coin as well as by phone, as there are a lot of people, like myself, who do not have/cannot use "smart phones".  Making car park payment charges by "smart phone" only means that a lot of drivers, especially the older generation, have nowhere to park.
Comment by posted
I strongly oppose the planned increases for Dorset Carparks, especially here in Ferndowns Penny's Walk Car Park as they represent a 114% increase, which would make an upto 1 hour charge, currently 70p increasing to £1.70p. This will kill off the High Street and possibly put more of a strain on the Tesco Carpark, which in turn may lead to them impossing charges which will kill the Town of Ferndown. Shame on Dorset Council for even contemplating such charges especially in these difficult financial times for consumers,    
Comment by posted
We seldom go to town now as parking has become prohibitively expensive.  Local businesses in town are loosing out.  Look at the empty high street shops created as a result... Support local by creating free parking along with park and ride.
Comment by posted
Rather think differently - remove more parking charges so increasing foot fall for local businesses (which have had three business taxes applied recently so now they are unable to offer work for our youngsters). I agree with Will T - We pay one of the higher council tax rates across the South Coast. What about removing spend from pet and vanity projects that are costing the county a fortune.  The money collected via Council Tax should be spent on serving the community.  Parking charges having proven to kill neighbourhood and town shopping centres.  Verwood has a small town centre and if parking charges were applied less people would go to the local shops, the heritage centre would really suffer.  When we moved here we used to go for walks in the New Forest (free parking) and visited The Queen Elizabeth Leisure Centre for swimming and exercise classes (now closed). Also we used to go to the beach however we only go there in the shoulder or winter time now as parking is so expensive.  We used to go to more performances at the Pavillion in Bornemouth however the parking there is £15.70 for the duration of the performance  - another reason not to go so often.  Stop the waste, stop the charity donations of our taxes. This is not your money to use for pet projects. Council stuff is boring don't keep trying to jazz it up - Collect our bins, fund our schools,  fill in the holes in the road, open up the dumps from 4 -5 for local trades to get rid of their waste after doing their work for the day.  More is spent on removing illegal waste so think differently.    Again remove more parking charges so increasing foot fall for local businesses (which have had three business taxes applied recently so now they are unable to offer work for our youngsters).