London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 23, 2025

UK councils ‘holding public spaces hostage’ with cheap parking

UK councils ‘holding public spaces hostage’ with cheap parking

Climate group data shows it is 115 times more expensive to suspend a parking bay than pay for a permit
Councils have been accused of allowing public spaces to be “held hostage” by motorists after the huge difference in cost between parking charges and the cost of suspending parking was revealed.

The latest figures, published by the climate charity Possible, lay bare the significant cost increase between a parking permit, used for vehicles such as cars and vans, and the cost of parking bay suspensions to use the space for other purposes.

It is 115 times more expensive to suspend a parking bay in the UK, with an average weekly cost of £158.06, than to pay for a parking permit, which has an average weekly cost of £1.38, the data showed.

Parking bay suspensions can be used for a variety of reasons, including for skips and moving properties, but also have been used as community spaces for seating, gardens or cycle parking.

Possible’s head of car-free cities, Hirra Khan Adeogun, accused local authorities of allowing private cars to dominate public spaces and called for people to be prioritised over private vehicle use.

“We’re letting private cars hold our public space hostage,” she said. “The fact that some cities aren’t even charging for parking just goes to show how local politicians are missing opportunities to break cities free from car dominance.”

According to a study by the pro-motoring thinktank the RAC Foundation, cars remain parked and unused for an average of 23 hours a day, with the average car or van in England driven just 4% of the time, a figure that has barely changed over the past 25 years.

Khan Adeogun added: “Most of the time private cars are going completely unused and taking up valuable public space.

“We need to shift to a better system, one that prioritises people over private vehicles, gives space for communities to thrive and makes them happier, healthier, and greener places to live.”

The research found Nottingham, Bradford and Leeds had no weekly charge for a parking permit but the weekly cost for parking bay suspensions were £23.38, £70 and £187.60 respectively.

In Liverpool, the weekly cost of a parking permit is a mere 4p but it costs £193 for a weekly parking bay suspension.

While obtaining a parking permit in London, Birmingham, Sheffield, Bristol, Newcastle and Manchester was more expensive, the report found there were still “considerable discrepancies” between those costs and the cost of a parking bay suspension.

Across those six cities, parking bay suspensions were between 33 and 353 times more expensive than a parking permit. The most expensive weekly parking permit was in Manchester at £4.33.

Possible is calling on local councils to reconsider the costs of parking permits to better reflect the effects of car ownership on the rest of society through pollution, road danger and loss of space.

Rob Bryher, Possible’s car-free Bristol campaigner, said: “The shocking disparities between the figures for different cities shows just how inconsistent the approach is to helping communities reclaim public spaces dominated by car parking.

“In Bristol alone, a parking bay suspension is 256 times more expensive than paying for a residential parking permit, which is completely locking communities out from seeing the possibilities of their streets no longer acting as car parks.

“We have to empower communities to transform their streets so they can reconnect with each other and with a little bit of nature, all while fighting for the climate in the process.”

Some spaces previously used for vehicle parking have been repurposed for community use, such as public seating or bicycle parking.

The charity wants to see an “affordable and easy process” for residents to “reclaim public space in ways that bring communities together, reduce car dominance and help the climate”.

David Renard, a transport spokesperson for the Local Government Association, said:: “Councils have to manage competing demands when setting charges for on street parking and suspended bays and take into account local circumstances.

“Suspended bays provide very limited additional road space and are commonly used to help with building renovations and house removals.

“Councils are working hard to find other ways to encourage more walking and cycling in local communities, such as the introduction of low-traffic neighbourhoods.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
×