PARKING charges across all council-owned car parks in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole rise once again from this week. 

All car parking spaces will see a ticket price increase by an average of five per cent across the conurbation. 

BCP Council expects the price rises to generate an extra £2.5m in revenue this financial year, which will be put back into council services. 

Finance portfolio holder Mike Cox said he hopes it can “help protect frontline services to residents in the BCP area”.

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He said: "Soaring inflation has driven up costs and many councils are facing an increase in demand for core services, such as social care, education and highways.

“We have been open about the difficult decisions which needed to be made and have taken a responsible approach, rather than deferring tough choices to future years." 

Starting from Tuesday, April 16, an hour’s stay in Bournemouth town centre (including Old Christchurch Road, Westover Road and Richmond Hill) and the East Cliff area (including East Overcliff Drive, Manor Road and Gervis Road) will rise from £2.40 to £2.50. 

Along the seafronts, those looking to soak up the sun in Boscombe Undercliff, Sandbanks Road and Shore Road will now pay £2.90 an hour and Avon Beach car park users must fork out £2.40. 

Meanwhile, before the curtains are drawn at the Lighthouse in Poole, visitors must find an extra 20p to pay for the new £3.70 charge.

Read more: Cutting short stay parking 'bad for business' in town centre

The increase also follows the axing of all 20, 30 and 40-minute stays in Bournemouth and Poole’s car parks. 

Last year, a council report concluded scrapping short-stay parking charges could earn it an extra £500,000 from people buying lengthier parking tickets. 

A BCP Council spokeswoman said: “Any surplus revenue generated from on-street parking is ringfenced to improve car parking facilities and passenger transport, and to maintain and improve our road network.  

“This is in accordance with the provisions of Section 88 to Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 and Section 55 of the Road traffic Regulation Act 1984.  

“Surplus revenue generated by off-street car parking – after the cost of maintaining the assets and service is met – is used to help support other valuable transportation-based council services.”