Car parking charges across Caerphilly County Borough are set to increase.
From Monday, July 1, hourly and daily rates on council-owned car parks are set to go up by 20p, while weekly parking rates will increase by £1.
The rates will affect the Gwladys Street and Emporium car parks in Bargoed and Ystrad Mynach’s Oakfield Street long stay car park.
Caerphilly town’s Crescent Road long stay, Bedwas Road, Station Terrace and Twyn car parks will also be affected.
In Blackwood, Court House and Cliff Road long stays, as well as Thorncombe number two and number three and Wesley Road will also become more expensive as a result of the changes.
High Street, Woodbine Road, Bus station and Market trader short stay car parks will be affected too.
Parking on Libanus Road, Highland Terrace and Gordon Road, which are all exclusively available for season ticket holders, will go up by an extra £6 a year.
Blackwood independent councillor Nigel Dix said: “Whenever car parking charges are increased, it’s Blackwood businesses and shops that suffer the most.
“Blackwood has over 400 car parking spaces, which raises over £420,000 of the £600,000 generated annually from car parking fees across Caerphilly.
“Most towns in Caerphilly have ample free parking, whereas Blackwood has only 12 free car parking spaces, which are time limited.
“The council must act now to increase the number of short term free car-parking spaces in Blackwood, this is the least the council can do and to ensure that all Towns are treated equally.”
A spokesperson for Caerphilly County Borough Council said: “From July 1, there will be a small additional charge of 20p on the tariff of car parking in Caerphilly County Borough’s pay and display car parks.
“This increase, along with all the other proposals the council had to reluctantly consider as part of the 2019/2020 budget setting process, was included in the far-reaching public consultation that was carried out with residents, the business community and other stakeholders.”
Council deputy leader, Cllr Sean Morgan, said: “Town centres undoubtedly play a key role in helping shape the communities they serve, and our town centres are unique places with a broad appeal for residents and visitors alike. These are also undoubtedly unprecedented times for local government, with the council already having been forced to cut over £100 million from its budget since 2008 due to austerity and inescapable pressures that we have no alternative but to pay.
“We’d rather not see this small increase in car parking tariffs, but sadly, we cannot make such vast savings from our budgets and expect things to remain the same.”
Cllr Morgan added: “We continue to work very hard indeed to make the level of savings required with as little impact upon our communities, and appreciate our residents’ support.”