West Lancashire Borough Council approves free parking for Ormskirk's residents and visitors

West Lancashire Borough Council has agreed a series of changes to improve Ormskirk’s car parking arrangements.   

The main headline changes approved are: 

• Up to 30 minutes FREE parking at Park Road and at Wheatsheaf Car Park. 

• A new stepped hourly tariff, starting at £1.00 for up to one hour and rising to £3.00 for up to five hours. 

• Allday rates set at £3.00 for Hants Lane and £4.00 for Hutton Way and The Stiles. 

• Revised charging hours, changing to 08:00–18:00, Monday to Saturday, with no evening or Sunday charges proposed. 

• Updated permit arrangements, including monthly and quarterly payment options and an increased Hants Lane permit cap. 

• Introducing app-based payments in addition to current cash and card payment options. 

Councillor Gareth Dowling, Lead Member for Planning and Community Safety, said: “I’m delighted we have been able to work to agree these new parking arrangements with support from councillors across the parties. I’m particularly pleased to be able to introduce free parking in some of our town centre car parks. 

“It is widely agreed that a review of town centre parking charges is long overdue. Eight years ago saw the introduction of a flat parking fee for the first three hours. 

“Feedback from town centre businesses initially supported this move in order to increase the dwell time, though it is now recognised that a higher turnover of users could lead to increased consumer footfall for town centre businesses. 

“A further introduction of a very short-stay free parking to support quick trips is also now approved, in a bid to further support our town centre businesses, and save residents, visitors and shoppers money and attract more of their custom. 

“In the past eight years, charges have not risen with inflation or been changed in any way, though energy prices, maintenance costs and staff time and resource has increased heavily in that time, meaning the service is making very little surplus, restricting the council’s ability to maintain the car parks to a high standard. 

“We are pleased to have ruled out many alternative proposals including evening, overnight and Sunday charges, blue badge charging, and extending paid parking to further car parks.” 

The West Lancashire Borough Council owned car parks affected by the new measures are:  

• Bus Station  

• Lunesdale  

• Market Way   

• Park Pool  

• Park Road  

• Hants Lane  

• Hutton Way  

• The Stiles  

• Wheatsheaf  

• Derby Street  

Click here for more information on the car parks and charges.  

On-street car parking is managed separately by Lancashire County Council as the local highways authority and is not included in the scope of these changes.