Cabinet put off the January price rises to its 8 October meeting, and took the 'free after 3' decision back off officers. Elwick Place still changes on 1 November.

Ashford’s council car parks are not getting a £2 overnight charge in January, at least not yet. Cabinet was asked to approve the whole tariff review on 10 September and instead deferred the report to its next meeting, on Thursday 8 October.

The minutes record Cabinet members expressing “some concern about the scale of some of the increases and the removal of free parking”. The reasoning for the delay was straightforward: the changes were not due to start until 1 January 2027, so there was time (Cabinet minutes, 10 September 2026, item 140).

We set out what the review proposes in our report on the £2 overnight charge and the four free-parking offers it would end. None of it is decided.

Cabinet also took a decision back off its own officers

The more lasting change came in the same item, and it was not in the report.

A councillor pointed out that the paper in front of Cabinet asked it to approve a £2 overnight charge from 1 January 2027, while the council had announced the week before that Elwick Place would change on 1 November with a £1 overnight charge. The two did not tie up.

The explanation was that the Elwick Place announcement covered that car park only, and that the decision to move “free after 3” out of Elwick Place had been taken by officers under an existing delegation, because no new tariffs were being introduced. Charges at Elwick Place cannot be raised at all, because they are tied to the council’s existing lease with Travelodge.

Cabinet then agreed that future decisions on “free after 3” should come to Cabinet rather than being delegated to officers. That is a permanent change in who decides, and it happened in a meeting whose main item was deferred.

The free-after-3 gap is confirmed

One thing the meeting did settle, and it is the part that costs shoppers money this autumn.

“Free after 3” is being relocated from Elwick Place to the new car park on the former Park Mall site. The minutes confirm there will be a gap between November and that car park opening during which it is not in effect, and that the arrangement will be reviewed after six months.

The council’s own papers put the new car park’s opening ahead of Christmas trading. Nothing published gives a date.

Key dates for Ashford parking charges Thursday 8 October 2026, the deferred parking tariff review returns to Cabinet. Sunday 1 November 2026, Elwick Place changes under a decision already taken by officers, free after 3 ends there and a £1 flat charge applies from 16:00 to 08:00. Ahead of Christmas 2026, the new car park on the former Park Mall site opens and free after 3 moves there. Friday 1 January 2027, the proposed start date for the wider tariff review, which is not approved. What is decided, and what is not Ashford council parking, the dates that follow the Cabinet meeting of 10 September 2026. 8 Oct Deferred report back to Cabinet Not decided 1 Nov Elwick Place changes, £1 flat 16:00 to 08:00 Already decided by officers Before Christmas New Park Mall car park opens, free after 3 moves No date published 1 Jan Proposed start of the tariff review Not approved Between 1 November and the new car park opening, there is no free-after-3 anywhere. Elwick Place prices cannot rise at all: they are fixed by the council's lease with Travelodge. Source: Ashford Borough Council Cabinet minutes, 10 September 2026, items 137 and 140. Graphic by The Ashford Times

The 58 per cent argument

The sharpest exchange was about on-street parking.

A member said the proposed on-street increase worked out at 58 per cent, called it misguided during a cost-of-living crisis, and said it seemed to target people who need the shortest possible walk to the shops.

The reply in the minutes is that the rise is 70p an hour, from £1.30 to £2, and that talking about 58 per cent “sounded a lot worse than it was in reality and was a bit disingenuous”. The response also made three other points: the prices compare favourably with neighbouring districts, on-street always carries a premium because it puts you closer, and Blue Badge holders park free on-street under Blue Badge rules.

The report itself puts on-street parking at £1.30 an hour now and £2.00 an hour under the proposal, which is 70p, and a rise of just under 54 per cent. Neither the report nor the minutes explains where 58 comes from. The 70p and the 54 per cent are the same fact stated two ways, and which one sounds worse depends on how many hours you park.

What it means for you

  • Nothing changes in January yet. The £2 overnight charge, the £1.40 first hour, the on-street rise and the removal of free parking at Station Road, Flour Mills, Elwick Road and Elwick Place are all still proposals.
  • The next decision point is Thursday 8 October, at Cabinet, 7pm in the Council Chamber at International House, Dover Place. Cabinet meetings are open to the public, and Procedure Rule 9 lets a resident register to speak. Democratic Services take registrations on 01233 330349.
  • Elwick Place still changes on 1 November, because that was a separate officer decision and it stands. Our parking in Ashford page carries the current tariffs and we will update it for that date.
  • If you rely on free after 3, plan for a gap. It ends at Elwick Place on 1 November and does not restart until the new car park opens, and no opening date has been published.

More local information: Ashford roadworks and travel, Ashford council tax bands and Ashford planning news.

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