Visitors wanting to enjoy the balmy weather at three Brum beauty spots may soon have pay new parking charges despite the plans attracting huge criticism.
Birmingham City Council, under a Labour administration at the time, declared itself effectively bankrupt in 2023, leaving the authority carrying out an unprecedented wave of cuts to local services.
In a bid to improve its finances, the council pushed ahead with an array of ‘savings’ proposals – including one to bring in parking charges at Sutton Park, Sheldon Country Park and Lickey Hills Country Park.
This particular proposal has been met with backlash from opposition councillors and residents, with a total of 919 respondents in an informal consultation (78.4 per cent) feeling access to Lickey Hills should remain free.
For Sheldon Country Park, that figure was 120 respondents (65.9 per cent) while for Sutton Park it was 2,741 respondents (68.2 per cent).
Coun Robert Alden, Conservative group leader, previously described the charges are “unfair, unjustified and completely out of touch with the people of Birmingham “.
“Labour’s charges hit the least well off in the city the most,” he argued at the time.
“It’s not people who live in walking distance of these beautiful spaces, it’s those living further afield, often with little garden space themselves, who have to drive to be able to access the benefits of the parks.”
Bradley Thomas, MP for Bromsgrove and the Villages
The Conservative MP for Bromsgrove Bradley Thomas also slammed the proposed charges for Lickey Hills, saying: “We’re quite literally paying the price for Birmingham City Council’s financial mismanagement.”
Earlier this year, he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that “this comes at a time where access to green spaces and healthy lifestyles are more important than ever.”
The council previously said the proposed scheme could have been implemented around the festive period last year.
But a recent report suggested the council, now under a new administration, could introduce the charges this summer after plans were hit by delays.
It said there had been “slippage of £0.8 million due to delays with statutory consultations, parking restrictions and procurement elements”.
But it continued: “Implementation of the charging is now planned for summer 2026.”
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The council was directly asked for further information about when the charges could be brought in, with a spokesperson responding: “Discussions are underway regarding the future progression of the parking schemes.”
‘Controversial and unpopular’
The council launched a formal public consultation on the plans back in August last year and moved to justify the charges.
“As part of the budget for 2025/26, the principle of charging was agreed to achieve necessary savings and help sustain, protect and maintain our 660 parks and green spaces,” it read.
“Introducing charges at [the three parks] will bring Birmingham in line with similar places around the UK to offset the cost of maintaining this destination site.”
It went on to insist the proposed scheme will provide a number of benefits, including the introduction of parking restrictions to manage the impact of displacement parking for residents who live near the parks.
One question posed to the council during this consultation was whether it had created “new financial barriers to accessing green space”.
Sheldon Country Park -Credit:Birmingham Mail/Iain Findlay
“We recognise and fully support the importance of encouraging people to be active for their physical and mental health,” the council said in response. “The introduction of parking charges is not intended to discourage exercise or reduce access to the park.
“Income from parking will be reinvested directly into maintaining and improving the park’s facilities, […] ensuring it remains a safe, attractive and welcoming place for all visitors.
“Access to the park remains free – charges are not to use the park but only to park a vehicle.
“Hence, those travelling on foot, bicycle or by public transport would not be charged.”
The council has acknowledged that the introduction of parking charges is “often controversial and unpopular”.
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But it continued that the projected income from the parking charges still falls short of the cost of maintaining the three parks in question.
“Therefore it is deemed reasonable to ask park users to contribute financially to the upkeep and maintenance of these parks,” it said previously.
“Despite the introduction of parking charges, there will still be a requirement for financial support from the council’s general fund to maintain and manage these parks.”
A council report also stated there was more support for the revised parking charges, which were lower than the previously consulted ones.