We are consulting on the introduction of vehicle emission-based parking charges in council-owned car parks in Bath.
Emission-based parking means that people with higher polluting vehicles will be asked to pay slightly more to encourage a shift to cleaner, more sustainable travel in the city. The changes would apply to both season ticket holders and paying customers.
The aim is to reduce the number of higher-polluting vehicles driving into Bath where air pollution is a concern, especially for people with chronic heart and lung conditions.
The proposals only impact car parks in Bath due to the higher levels of pollution found in the city.
Summary of the proposal
We are proposing a new charging structure for council-owned car parks in Bath which is based on vehicle emissions. A similar, emissions-based charging structure is already in place for residents’ parking permits.
Not all drivers using our car parks in Bath would be affected by the increase, only those with more polluting vehicles.
- Charges would be based on a vehicle’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, in line with the DVLA Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) classifications. Where no VED emissions rating is available, typically including all vehicles registered before 2001, the charge would be based on engine capacity.
- Drivers of electric vehicles and those with non-diesel-fuelled internal combustion engines that emit 130g/km or less of CO2 would not see any increase in their parking charges.
- Hours of operation would not be affected.
- The changes would apply to both paying customers and season ticket holders.
- Hotel parking permit charges (on-street or off-street car parking) would not be affected by the proposed rate changes to car park charges because they provide both on street and car park parking depending on the premises location.
Aims of the proposal
These proposals aim to further improve pedestrian safety through improved air quality in Bath by encouraging owners of higher polluting vehicles to seek cleaner, more sustainable travel options rather than pay higher charges to park in the city centre.
It is one of a number of our policies and proposals that aim to encourage more people to walk, cycle or use public transport (including the city’s park and ride service where charges will not be affected) – or swap to cleaner vehicles – to help reduce air pollution, improve public safety and tackle the climate emergency.
The effects of air pollution on health
Air pollution particles and gases enter our bodies and can damage cells in different ways. They usually get into our lungs first and can then move into our blood to reach organs such as our heart and brain. Any amount of pollution can be damaging to health, but the more that you are exposed to, the bigger the risk.
Some people are more vulnerable than others, including:
- Children
- Pregnant people
- Older people
- People with lung conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer
- People with heart conditions such as coronary artery disease, heart failure and high blood pressure
Air pollution causes up to 36,000 deaths, over 20,000 respiratory and cardiovascular hospital admissions and 6 million sick days every year in the UK, at an estimated total social cost of £22.6 billion per year.
Proposals for paying customers
We would like your feedback on proposals for vehicle emission-based parking charges for customers paying to park in Bath’s council-owned car parks.
Please expand the sections below to find out more about the charges we are proposing.
The proposed charging structure would apply to all council-owned car parks in Bath and works on a sliding scale, with higher parking charges for the more polluting vehicles to encourage them to use alternatives outside of the city centre. The increased charges would not apply to everyone. In summary:
- The average charge per hour (excluding evening and overnight charges) would remain the same for around 34% of customers driving a less polluting vehicle. This is £1.20 per hour.
- Around 66% of our car park customers, depending on the emissions of their vehicle, would see additional charges. The average charge per hour would be £1.31 (a modest increase of 11 pence per hour).
- The MiPermit app and planned new pay and display machines would calculate the charge for your vehicle automatically based on DVLA records. You do not need to know your emissions or engine size when logging and paying for your stay (see How emissions charges would work).
- Separate charging structures are proposed for diesel and non-diesel vehicles (with higher charges for more polluting diesel vehicles).
- Foreign registered, or vehicles not registered with the DVLA, will be charged the highest price for the chosen duration. This is to encourage visitors to use sustainable alternatives such as our Park and Ride sites, and those with unregistered vehicles to adhere to the legal requirements.
Summary of charges
The tables below show:
- current charges for car parks in Bath
- proposed new charges for non-diesel vehicles
- proposed new charges for diesel vehicles
Contents
| Length of stay | Charge |
|---|---|
| 1hr | £1.70 |
| 2hrs | £3.40 |
| 3hrs | £5.10 |
| 4hrs | £6.80 |
| 6hrs | £10.20 |
| 8hrs | £13.60 |
| 24hrs | £17.10 |
| Evening charge (Charlotte Street car park): 6pm to 8pm | £1.50 |
| Overnight charge: 8pm to 8am | £1.50 |
| Length of stay | 0 to 130 g/km | 131 to 150 g/km | 151 to 170 g/km | 171 to 190 g/km | 191 to 225 g/km | 226 to 255 g/km | Over 255 g/km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1hr | £1.70 | £1.80 | £1.80 | £1.90 | £1.90 | £2 | £2 |
| 2hrs | £3.40 | £3.50 | £3.60 | £3.70 | £3.80 | £3.90 | £4 |
| 3hrs | £5.10 | £5.30 | £5.40 | £5.50 | £5.70 | £5.80 | £6 |
| 4hrs | £6.80 | £7 | £7.20 | £7.40 | £7.60 | £7.70 | £7.90 |
| 6hrs | £10.20 | £10.50 | £10.80 | £11 | £11.30 | £11.60 | £11.90 |
| 8hrs | £13.60 | £14 | £14.30 | £14.70 | £15.10 | £15.40 | £15.80 |
| 24hrs | £17.10 | £17.60 | £18 | £18.50 | £18.90 | £19.40 | £19.90 |
| Evening charge (Charlotte Street car park): 6pm to 8pm | £1.50 | £1.60 | £1.60 | £1.70 | £1.70 | £1.70 | £1.80 |
| Overnight charge: 8pm to 8am | £1.50 | £1.60 | £1.60 | £1.70 | £1.70 | £1.70 | £1.80 |
| Length of stay | 0cc to 1550cc | 1551cc to 1950cc | 1951cc to 2950cc | Over 2951cc |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1hr | £1.80 | £1.90 | £2 | £2.10 |
| 2hrs | £3.60 | £3.80 | £4 | £4.20 |
| 3hrs | £5.40 | £5.70 | £6 | £6.20 |
| 4hrs | £7.20 | £7.50 | £7.90 | £8.30 |
| 6hrs | £10.80 | £11.30 | £11.90 | £12.40 |
| 8hrs | £14.30 | £15 | £15.80 | £16.60 |
| 24hrs | £18 | £18.90 | £19.80 | £20.80 |
| Evening charge (Charlotte Street car park): 6pm to 8pm | £1.60 | £1.70 | £1.80 | £1.90 |
| Overnight charge: 8pm to 8am | £1.60 | £1.70 | £1.80 | £1.90 |
| Length of stay | 0 to 130 g/km | 131 to 150 g/km | 151 to 170 g/km | 171 to 190 g/km | 191 to 225 g/km | 226 to 255 g/km | Over 255 g/km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1hr | £2.20 | £2.30 | £2.30 | £2.40 | £2.40 | £2.50 | £2.50 |
| 2hrs | £3.90 | £4 | £4.10 | £4.20 | £4.30 | £4.40 | £4.50 |
| 3hrs | £5.60 | £5.80 | £5.90 | £6 | £6.20 | £6.30 | £6.50 |
| 4hrs | £7.30 | £7.50 | £7.70 | £7.90 | £8.10 | £8.20 | £8.40 |
| 6hrs | £11.20 | £11.50 | £11.80 | £12 | £12.30 | £12.60 | £12.90 |
| 8hrs | £14.60 | £15 | £15.30 | £15.70 | £16.10 | £16.40 | £16.80 |
| 24hrs | £18.10 | £18.60 | £19 | £19.50 | £19.90 | £20.40 | £20.90 |
| Evening charge (Charlotte Street car park): 6pm to 8pm | £2.00 | £2.10 | £2.10 | £2.20 | £2.20 | £2.20 | £2.30 |
| Overnight charge: 8pm to 8am | £2.50 | £2.60 | £2.60 | £2.70 | £2.70 | £2.70 | £2.80 |
| Length of stay | 0cc to 1550cc | 1551cc to 1950cc | 1951cc to 2950cc | Over 2951cc |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1hr | £2.30 | £2.40 | £2.50 | £2.60 |
| 2hrs | £4.10 | £4.30 | £4.50 | £4.70 |
| 3hrs | £5.90 | £6.20 | £6.50 | £6.70 |
| 4hrs | £7.70 | £8 | £8.40 | £8.80 |
| 6hrs | £11.80 | £12.30 | £12.90 | £13.40 |
| 8hrs | £15.30 | £16 | £16.80 | £17.60 |
| 24hrs | £19 | £19.90 | £20.80 | £21.80 |
| Evening charge (Charlotte Street car park): 6pm to 8pm | £2.10 | £2.20 | £2.30 | £2.40 |
| Overnight charge: 8pm to 8am | £2.60 | £2.70 | £2.80 | £2.90 |
In 2023, we are running a separate programme to replace all our existing pay and display machines. These will help to facilitate the proposed new charging structure. The process for logging and paying for an emissions-based stay is as follows:
- Paying customers would be able to log and pay for parking stays by using the MiPermit app or new pay and display machines (that accept cash, with some accepting debit and credit cards).
- The new pay and display machines will require users to enter their vehicle registration mark (VRM) before logging their stay. MiPermit already captures VRMs.
- To establish the parking charge for your vehicle, the system would check your registration against data held by the DVLA. It would calculate the correct charge based on the DVLA data and the sliding scales of charges presented in the tables above.
- The machine would display the cost back to you, and then ask for payment.
- You would not need to display a ticket, but tickets will still be available. All parking stays will be visible on our Civil Enforcement Officer's handheld devices in real-time.
- Users of our text service will have the exact charges confirmed after a parking stay has been created, due to technology limitations.
There is no need for you to know details of your vehicle's emissions. However, you can check your vehicle’s emissions rating or engine capacity for free online on the GOV.UK website.
Because we are proposing a more complex charging structure, we need to ensure that our signage is clear and so all users can understand the information.
Please review the following three signage options and give your feedback through the survey form.
Car park charging sign: design 1
Car park charging sign: design 2
Car park charging sign: design 3
Prices for season tickets are already linked to the daily charges in our car parks. This means that the new emission-based charging structure will also apply to season tickets, with higher parking charges for the more polluting vehicles. The increased charges would not apply to everyone and would be delayed for current season ticket holders.
Proposed terms
- The proposed emission-based charges, which include increased charges for more polluting vehicles, would only apply to new customers at the agreed date of implementation
- If you hold a valid season ticket at the time of implementation, you will be able to renew your season ticket for up to 12 months at the same cost. Thereafter the new charges and terms and conditions would apply
- New emission-based season tickets will continue to be available on a 1-month, 3-month and 6-month basis, chargeable pro rata, as well as for 12 months
- New emission-based season tickets would only apply to pre-registered vehicles (vehicles registered at the time of purchase).
- If you have multiple vehicles on the season ticket, you would be charged the rate which applies to the most polluting vehicle you have registered (i.e. the vehicle with the highest emissions classification. See the summary of charges)
- You would be able to make changes to an existing emission-based permit to accommodate changes in car ownership but only for less polluting vehicles (not subject to increased charges according to the table below)
- There would be a £10 administration fee to make any vehicle changes on an existing permit that we accept. You could only make a change by calling or emailing Parking Services.
- You would have to cancel your current permit and purchase a new season ticket if you changed to a more polluting vehicle. Refunds are available for any complete months remaining on the permit you are cancelling. A £10 administration fee would apply.
We would delay any increased charges for 12 months on renewal of your current season ticket (for those that hold a valid permit at time of implementation) in recognition of recent charge increases in November 2022 and to give customers time to adjust to the new scheme.
Summary of charges
The current 12-month charge for a 7-day season ticket is £4,056.98. This charge will remain the same for less polluting vehicles.
The tables below show the proposed emissions-based season ticket charges:
| CO2 band | Non-diesel | Diesel |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 130 g/km | £4,056.98 | £4,294.23 |
| 131 to 150 g/km | £4,175.60 | £4,412.85 |
| 151 to 170 g/km | £4,270.50 | £4,507.75 |
| 171 to 190 g/km | £4,389.13 | £4,626.38 |
| 191 to 225 g/km | £4,484.03 | £4,721.28 |
| 226 to 255 g/km | £4,602.65 | £4,839.90 |
| Over 255 g/km | £4,721.28 | £4,958.53 |
| Engine size | Non-diesel | Diesel |
|---|---|---|
| 0cc to 1550cc | £4,270.50 | £4,507.75 |
| 1551cc to 1950cc | £4,484.03 | £4,721.28 |
| 1951cc to 2950cc | £4,697.55 | £4,934.80 |
| Over 2951cc | £4,934.80 | £5172.05 |
The Holburne Musuem car park
Emission-based charges will not apply at this car park because this location is provided exclusively for visitors to the Holburne Museum. However, we would like to take this opportunity to correct an historic anomaly in the last variation of the Traffic Restriction Order, and formalise the current charges in this revised order.
Charges will continue to apply every day except Bank Holidays between the hours of 8am to 6pm inclusive. The charges will not apply to Blue Badge holders on display of a valid Blue Badge. The pricing structure remains as set out below and represents no change.
View the Holburne Musuem car park charges
| Length of stay | Amount |
|---|---|
| Up to 2 hours | £3.50 |
| up to 3 hours | £5 |
| Up to 4 hours | £7 |
| Up to 6 hours | £10.50 |
| Up to 10 hours | £12.50 |
Equalities
We have completed an Equality Impact Assessment, which we will continue to review and will update following this consultation.
Why we are consulting
We would like to know if you are broadly supportive of the proposals or if you broadly object to them. We are inviting comments from the public to determine if we should take the proposals forward as they are proposed, or whether to amend or reject them.
What we are consulting on
We are asking you to respond to a variation to the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO). The TRO is to implement new vehicle emission-based parking charges for paying customers and season ticket holders parking in council-owned Bath car parks.
View the TRO report
We are also asking for some optional feedback on designs for enforcement signs. We have three proposed designs, and we are looking for comments on which of the designs are easiest for people to understand.
Who we are consulting
Anyone is welcome to respond to this consultation. We want to hear your views.
Have your say
View the TRO Outcome of Process report
View the consultation feedback report (appendix D)
View the equalities impact assessment for these proposals
If you need to get in touch
If you have a question about this consultation and would like clarification, or you require any documents in another format, you can email our team at parking_consultation@bathnes.gov.uk
What happens next
We will take into account the support and objections to this TRO before making the final decision about whether to implement it as council policy.