Fareham car parking changes: Councillor hits out over fees criticism as car parks are renamed

The comments came from Fareham Borough Council’s deputy executive leader as councillors agreed not to increase fees. At the Fareham Borough Council executive meeting on January 8, deputy executive leader Councillor Simon Martin said he gets cross when he reads on social media people criticising the town centre and parking charges.

He said that’s because car parking fees have been ‘frozen’ since 2010. He said: “People seem to either forget that or just ignore that because it’s not conducive to some vitriolic argument they want to put forward.”

Car parking in Fareham costs £1 per hour for a maximum of 10 hours at Ferneham Hall, Civic Way North and South, Palmerston Avenue and Civic Offices. Coastal parking fees introduced in August 2021 are £1.10 per hour at Hove To; Meon Shore; Monks Hill; Passage Lane; Portchester Castle: Salterns; Shore road; Swanwick Shore Lane. Charging at Wicor Car Park was controversially introduced in August 2023. There are coastal season ticket options of £145 with a concession rate of £95 for Fareham residents.

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At the meeting, the council also agreed to change the name of Wicor Recreation Car Park to Wicor Car Park, and Ferneham Hall Car Park will become the Fareham Live Car Park. The multi-storey car park in Osborn Road built in 1973, providing 800 pay-on-foot parking spaces over six decks is now closed. It provided 40 per cent of the town centre parking spaces and will be demolished turning it into a surface car park.

The council said the new car park offering 139 spaces will coincide with the opening of Fareham Live, the council’s new community arts and entertainment venue currently under construction. The new plans for the surface car park include electric vehicle charging points and solar panel canopies, with eight disabled spaces but no motorcycle spaces. A review of town centre parking charges will take place when Fareham Live opens later in 2024.