Prices for 80% of council car park spaces set to be frozen

Prices for more than 5,000 or almost 80% of the council’s car park spaces used by residents across the district are set to be frozen for 2026/27 including Park and Ride. 

Canterbury City Council’s Cabinet is being asked to consult on changes to the Off-Street Parking Places Order (OSPPO) at its meeting on Monday 3 November.  

They include: 

• moving the Reculver Country Park car park from Band 2 (£2.70 an hour) to Band 3 (£1.90 per hour) to encourage longer stays 
• a below inflation (2.7%) 10p increase in the hourly rate in the council’s Band 1 car parks to cover the cost of inflation and help invest in vital frontline services 
• a 4% inflationary across-the-board increase in the cost of parking permits  

Director of Place Bill Hicks said: “Two years ago, we placed our car parks into bands to make it easier for residents to choose which car parks to use based on convenience, cost and their impact on the environment, especially if people need to add to Canterbury’s congestion to use them. 

“Under these proposals, we hope Park and Ride represents even greater value, especially when combined with the resident rate, and it would cost more to park in our most convenient or most popular car parks. 

“As the figures show, residents are switching to Park and Ride and our Band 3 car parks which are a little further away from the city and town centres. 

“Whatever way you cut it, parking charges are always controversial, so we want as many people as possible to have their say on our plans.” 

Comparing car park data from April 2024 to March 2025 with the previous year, it shows: 

• a 27% increase in drivers choosing Park and Ride including Sturry Road 
• more motorists using our Band 3 car parks in Canterbury – Castle Street Multistorey (8%), Holmans Meadow (8%) and Station Road West (3%) 
• a drop in use of some of our Band 1 car parks including Pound Lane at –13% and Whitefriars at –15% 

Overall parking acts were up by 0.7% and income by 13%. 

Once registered via the council website, the resident rate gives drivers a 10% discount in all ANPR car parks in bands 2 and 3 up until 9pm and a 20% discount at all Park and Ride sites.   

You can read the full report to Cabinet here. 

The Cabinet will meet at 7pm on Monday 3 November at the Guildhall, St Peter’s Place, Canterbury. 

Published: 24 October 2025