Residents in Liskeard have had their say on proposed increases in parking charges in the town’s car parks.

The announcement from Cornwall Council comes amid plans to put all 135 car parks across the county into three zones based on their popularity as part of reforms to overhaul 120 different tariffs currently in parking areas owned by the local authority.

Among those affected, Liskeard’s Rapsons car park could see its prices rise from £1.70 for a full day to £5.50.

Liskeard’s two Cornwall Councillors Nick Craker (Liskeard Central) and Jane Pascoe (Liskeard South & Dobwalls) have raised their concerns about Cornwall Council’s parking charges overhaul, saying the proposals will not benefit Liskeard or its struggling town centre.

Cornwall Council are proposing a new parking scheme for all the council-owned car parks across the county, where each car park will be placed into Zone A, B or C; with Zone A charging a premium and Zone C the lower rate. Liskeard’s Westbourne, Cattle Market and Sungirt would likely be placed into zone B, with Rapsons placed into zone C. For Rapsons, this would see the current £1.70 tariff skyrocket to £5.50.

Liskeard’s Cornwall Councillors are concerned how punitive this is, particularly on working people and commuters who utilise this particular car park.

Cllr Craker fought against the proposals at the council’s scrutiny committee, arguing that the proposals would raise so many anomalies it could be damaging for market towns like Liskeard.

Other councillors at the scrutiny committee appeared baffled that while most charges would go up, some already fully-packed car parks would actually see their prices drop, when it was already hard to find a space.

Cllr Craker said: “I don’t agree that dividing all the council’s car parks into three simple bands is the way to support Liskeard and its struggling town centre. What’s right for one town does not necessarily make it right for another.”

Cllr Pascoe said: “I have traded in Liskeard for over 40 years and know how much of a barrier to trade these parking charges can be. I think it’s important they recognise that Cornwall is a large rural county, and the council should be flexible in its approach to setting our parking tariffs.”

Added to the charges overhaul, Liskeard has had a raw deal in recent months with many residents and visitors complaining that parking machines are out of order, sometimes for months at a time, which has inevitably lost the council revenue.

The next steps is for a public consultation on the proposals starting on January 19 until February 8, with the Cabinet making a decision the same day, on February 8.

At the scrutiny committee, Cllr Craker argued if this review must go ahead, it should be delayed until next year to give the council time to replace all the broken machines and bring our car parks up to scratch.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Craker said: “I think this is a missed opportunity to get the parking tariffs right for Liskeard. They really should be listening to local councillors but more importantly the business community, Liskeard Traders Association, Chamber of Commerce and Town Forum, who have a better idea about what is good for our town.”