Car parking charges across North Herts will go up by 2% from April – below the rate of inflation.

Donna Wright, North Herts Council's executive member for place, said the increases "offer a balanced and responsible approach" that will help the authority keep "on track" with its wider budget.

The changes mean that an all-day tariff at Bancroft in Hitchin, for example, will rise from £5.30 to £5.40, while a three-hour stay at Hillshott in Letchworth will go up from £2.60 to £2.70.

Season ticket prices will also go up by two per cent in their first increase since 2021. It means a one-month ticket will rise from £87 to £89, while a year-long ticket will increase from £740 to £755.

Cllr Wright said: "A 2% increase, although it's below the current inflation rate, is felt to be appropriate in order to support residents with cost-of-living pressures and to support local businesses and visitors to the town centres."

More significant changes to parking fees will be introduced in Royston, with free parking after 3pm – currently subsidised by Royston Town Council and Royston Business Improvement District (BID) – coming to an end.

Instead, parking after 3pm in Royston will cost a flat fee of £1, while daytime stays of up to one, two and three hours will cost £1, £1.50 and £2.50 respectively. The exception will be at the Civic Centre, where it will cost a flat fee of £1 to park for up to three hours.

Cllr Wright said the Royston proposals represented "a clearer, more consistent and ultimately more visitor-friendly tariff structure".

She said: "It reduces some of the medium stay charges to support footfall.

"The post-3pm tariff becomes a flat £1, which … resolves the enforcement issues that we currently face under the subsidised, free arrangement.

"Both Royston Council and the BID have indicated that they would not be able to continue a subsidy or reduced rate for parking after 3pm."

A council report said that post-3pm parking stays in Royston, with no charge payable, were likely affected by "significant under-registration", that mean "the current subsidy arrangement cannot be effectively monitored or charged for".

Discussions are ongoing about the possibility of providing free parking in Royston during the run-up to Christmas, which would likely require a subsidy of around £30,000.

In Knebworth, meanwhile, the parish council is set to continue a subsidy of around £2,750 that provides free 30-minute parking at St Martin's Road car park.

The full changes to parking charges are expected to add a further £56,000 to council coffers across the year.

Speaking about the full set of changes, Cllr Wright said: "It supports our financial stability, it responds to community and business feedback, and it resolves the operational and enforcement issues.