A fresh review of controversial parking charges in Wirral has left businesses in Bromborough village fearing the plans could be 'another nail in the coffin' for local trade. Wirral Council is revisiting proposals to introduce fees at 22 currently free car parks across the borough, a move first approved by Labour and Green councillors in December 2024.
Years of Debate and a Legal Challenge
The latest update continues a saga spanning years. Councillors were previously criticised in two 2021 government reviews for avoiding long-term strategic decisions due to short-term political risks, with parking charges cited as a key example. The council's original plan involved three phases: increasing existing charges (implemented June 2025), introducing fees at 22 new sites, and finally bringing in on-street charges in areas like New Brighton and Hoylake.
However, the second and third phases stalled after a legal letter, supported by the Wilkie Leisure Group and other Wirral businesses, was sent to the council. A spokesperson confirmed the process for introducing charges at the 22 new car parks, plus an overnight charge at all off-street locations, will restart in January 2026, with a committee decision expected in March.
'It's Madness': Bromborough's Business Backlash
In Bromborough, the news has been met with surprise, exhaustion, and disappointment. John Muff, who runs the village butchers, stated bluntly: "The community do not want it. The businesses certainly do not want it. It's madness." He voiced a widespread concern that charges will simply drive customers to the nearby Croft Retail Park, which offers free parking.
"Every single business in this village has got the same opinion and they just are not being listened to," Mr Muff told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS). He acknowledged strong local support but warned that daily trade from quick visits would be hit hardest. "Businesses are taking a battering... and this is just another nail in the coffin."
Phil Spencer of the Bromborough Village Community Association, who lobbied against the charges previously, expressed frustration at being consulted again so soon. "If it is the fault of the council in not doing it correctly in the first place, I can only assume that is the case," he said, warning of widespread discontent if the process yields the same result.
Council's Defence: Self-Financing and Fairness
During a recent debate, Cllr Liz Grey, chair of the council's environment committee, responded to fears the charges "may somehow kill our high streets". She acknowledged the anxiety of small business owners but argued their concerns "rest on flawed assumptions based on parking and footfall".
Cllr Grey stated the primary purpose was to make parking services self-financing, arguing it was unfair to subsidise them with taxpayers' money when some residents do not own cars. She pointed to data from September 2021, when standardised tariffs were introduced across Wirral, which she said showed no real drop in car park usage.
"This strongly suggests people will continue to visit towns once charges are introduced," she said, adding that charges would increase space turnover and help the council avoid budget pressures without cutting services. She concluded that charging a "very modest sum" does not equate to abandoning high streets, and that leisure centres and libraries could be at risk if parking continued to be subsidised.
The council has previously stated it will monitor the impact on businesses and cited a 2023 report suggesting that people who walk, cycle, or use public transport may spend longer and more money in shops.
