New parking charges for Forge Island agreed by council
NEW parking charges have been approved for the Forge Island car park in Rotherham, alongside changes to how free parking is offered to customers visiting businesses on the site.
Under the new tariff, drivers will be able to park for free for up to one hour. Parking for up to two hours will cost £2.50, rising to £5 for up to four hours, and £8 for up to 24 hours. The charges will apply 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
In addition, parking concessions are being extended beyond the cinema and hotel to all businesses in the Forge Island development with up to four hours of free parking through a customer concession system.
The changes were approved through an officer executive decision and will be reviewed after 12 months.
According to the council’s report, Forge Island operates primarily as a destination car park for visitors to its restaurants, cinema and other venues. However, officers say operational issues and concessionary parking arrangements meant the car park was not being used as intended.
The report warned low-cost and concessionary parking encouraged use of the car park by non-customers, while businesses reported genuine customers were struggling to find spaces.
Council officers say the revised charges are intended to discourage long-stay parking by non-customers, while the expanded concession scheme is designed to protect parking for people visiting businesses there.
Free parking for Blue Badge holders will remain, and there will continue to be a 30-minute grace period to allow for drop-offs, pick-ups, deliveries and waste collections.
The new charging system is expected to be introduced in early February, once signage and equipment are in place.