A COUNCILLOR has raised doubts that the introduction of charges in a village car park will raise as much money as hoped – arguing the facility is only ever “at most 10 per cent full.”

Councillor Alun Griffiths (Lib Dem, Idle and Thackley) grilled Council bosses over how much the new charges at the main car park in Idle were expected to bring in at a recent meeting of Bradford Council.

The charges were introduced earlier this month and have been heavily criticised by local residents and businesses.

Cllr Griffiths was told that if the car park was 50 per cent full most of the time, the charges would generate £20,000 a year.

Shortly after the charges were introduced, pictures of the car park sitting empty were shared by local businesses on social media.

In a question at the last full Council meeting, Cllr Griffiths asked Council bosses what the set up costs of the charging system were, the running costs and the anticipated annual income.

The response to his question said: “The set-up costs for Idle were £5,000 for the machine, signage, works, legal advertising and consultation costs.

“As the legal order/consultation covered a number of sites these costs were relatively small on a per location basis.

“The only additional running costs will be for maintenance of the machine and replacement of tickets which is anticipated to be a maximum of £200 per annum.

“The anticipated annual income from the Idle site based on 50 per cent occupation at the all-day charge would be £20,000.”

Cllr Griffiths pointed out that since the charges were introduced the car park was “nowhere near 50 per cent occupied” adding: “It is more like five or at the most 10 per cent occupied.

“Evidence of this is not just the photographs but the huge drop in takings from the businesses, businesses in Idle have reported a drop of 40 per cent or more.

“In view of that can you please reconsider the charges, or introduce one-hour free parking?”

Councillor Alex Ross Shaw replied: “I know charges are never popular, but there are similar charges in place across the District in places that do well and thrive, and have been in place a number of years.

“Introducing a new one creates tension, I understand that, and I’ve seen the pictures too.

“We are too early into these new charges to make any long term judgements. There is lots of on-street parking in the area where people can park for free.

“We need to see how it beds in and how that behaviour changes over time.”

When the Telegraph & Argus visited the car park last week during a weekday lunchtime, there were six cars parked in the car park – which the Council lists has having 35 spaces.