The cost of parking in Swindon town centre is set to rise in the new year.

From April 1, it will cost, on average around four to five per cent more to park in Swindon town centre.

Swindon Borough Council has proposed increasing fees in car parks it manages, as well as on-street parking.

But there are some charges which are set to increase significantly more.

Swindon Borough Council’s cabinet approved the draft budget of cabinet member for finance, Kevin Small, earlier in December, which included the revision of fees and charges that residents or visitors pay.

It includes everything from entry to Lydiard House to buying the plot of a grave.

And among the biggest money spinners in the fees are the charges for parking in the borough. In 2022-23, the borough council raised nearly £3.5m from the money paid to it to park in car parks or on the street.

Many Swindonians using the railway station to get to work, or if they go away for a day or longer park at the Bristol Street car park. A one-hour stay will go up by 10 per cent, which in real terms is 10 pence - from £1.30 to £1.40.

A stay between six and 24 hours will go up by 50p from £9.70 to £10.20, a five per cent increase.

Speaking of leisure, those who want to park in Old Town after 6pm, perhaps for an evening in the bars and clubs, will have to pay 10p more for a stay of one to two hours, going up from £1.10 to £1.20 – a nine per cent hike.

But the value gets better the longer you stay: the increase for stay of more than two hours after 6pm is just 10p - from £2.20 to £2.30 which is just a four per cent increase.

If you’re feeling flush, however, and want to show it, park in Market Street or Wood Street, where a 20-minute segment of the maximum one hour goes up from 40p to 50p, but represents a big 25 per cent increase, the largest hike for parking fees in the proposed budget.

A 20-minute stay in Sanford Street, Commercial Road and Harding Street comes in just below that, 20 per cent higher from 50p to 60p.

Staying in the short-stay car parks in the town centre for the day is another pricy option at £26, and getting pricier – going up to £27.30.

A better choice would be six to 24-hour stay in a town centre long-stay car park which is going up by 50p, a five per cent increase, from £9.70 to £10.20

For those who really need to be able to park every day, an annual season ticket covering every day of the week goes up from £1,950 to £2,047 – the £97 increase representing five per cent.

If you need that convenience but not at weekends a 12-month ticket for Monday to Friday will cost £1,732, a five per cent hike on this year’s £1,650.

And if you need some time looking at water, up to two hours at Coate Water will go from £2.10 to £2.20, while over that time will cost £4.60 compared to this year’s £4.40.

The report warns that some charges have not been set yet: “There are a number of fees that cannot yet be set for 2024 as they are subject to further review or are awaiting updated legislation, therefore any changes around these are subject to further approval.

"All fees and charges will also be subject to continuous and on-going review throughout the year to ensure that the council is getting a fair financial settlement for services in line with market value.”

The full set of fees and charges will be included in the final budget presented to councillors in February.