On-street parking charges in St Albans and Harpenden are to rise - in a bid to prevent motorists driving around in circles looking for empty spaces on the roads.
The new tariff - the first increase in on-street parking charges for five years - will come into effect from the start of next month.
And in an effort to encourage more people wanting to make a quick visit to shops, a new 30-minute tariff has been introduced for on-street parking in many roads close to the shopping areas of St Albans and Harpenden.
The half hour tariff will cost 60p with the price for an hour rising by 10p to £1.30. To park for two hours, the tariff will go up to £2.60, an increase of 20p.
St Albans council’s portfolio holder for community engagement and localism, Cllr Beric Read, explained: “The idea behind the strategy is that we want people popping in and out and off-street car parking for people who are here a bit longer.
“We didn’t want on-street parking to be cheaper than the car parks which encourages people to drive round and round looking for spaces.”
The changes come into operation from Monday, April 4, when the cost of residents and business permits for controlled parking zones will also rise by two per cent.
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