Increases in car parking fees are being implemented on the 30 June for resident permits and North Herts Council operated car parks.

The changes are: Off street council-run car parks:

From the 30 June, parking in all Council operated car parks in North Herts will increase by 10p per hour including the flat rate tariff after 3pm in Hitchin.

A flat rate charge is also being introduced for anyone parking between the hours of 3pm and 6pm in Letchworth Council-managed car parks. This will be £1.10 in the Garden Square Multi-storey and Hillshott car parks and £1.50 in the Town Hall car park.

'Free after 3' parking will continue in Royston Council operated car parks due to ongoing contributions from both Royston BID and Royston Town Council.

Parking for the 30 minutes tariff in St. Martins car park in Knebworth will be free due to contributions from Knebworth Parish Council.

On-street resident permit parking

6-month permits will increase by £1, from £42 to £43 and 12-month permits will increase by £2, from £84 to £86.

Visitor ticket books will increase by 50p, from £12 to £12.50.

The changes in car parking fees follow consultation with Community Forums and key stakeholders in December 2024. Residents and local organisations were also invited to share their thoughts earlier this year via email by mid-January 2025.

North Herts Council has worked hard to keep car parking fee increases to a minimum. Parking fees in the car parks were not increased in 2024, and this year's changes have been delayed from the 1 April to enable users to familiarise themselves with the new 'check-in, check-out' machines. Parking after 6pm and at weekends, bank and public holidays will continue to be free. Resident permit fees have not been increased since 2013.

Councillor Donna Wright, Executive Member for Place, explained: "The decision to increase car parking fees has not been taken lightly. We haven't changed fees since 2023 as we wanted to give local businesses further time to recover from the pandemic.

As we continue to face reductions in central government funding, these slight increases will enable North Herts Council to continue delivering our parking services to the high standard our users are used to."  

For details of new hourly rates in all North Herts Council operated car parks, please visit: www.north-herts.gov.uk/street-parking-tariffs

For further clarification on the new car park payment machines installed earlier this year in all North Herts Council operated car parks, please visit: www.north-herts.gov.uk/pay-parking-payment-machines