The long-delayed scheme has come into force with charges now running until 11pm
17:31, 14 Jul 2025Updated 18:25, 14 Jul 2025
Council pay and display machine(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Parking charges have been extended in Liverpool city centre meaning an end to free parking after 6pm. It was confirmed in May that two and a half years after the idea was first proposed, the local authority would finally move forward with plans to extend parking charges until 11pm.
Despite almost 90% of people indicating they were against the move, councillors have pressed ahead with the change, arguing it would standardise parking across the city centre. It had been expected the amendments would go live at the start of June.
As of today, July 14, signage and parking meters have been updated across the city centre to reflect the changes to the controlled parking zone (CPZ). As a result, drivers will no longer be able to leave their cars on city streets for free after 6pm.
The move originates after a review of the CPZ around the city centre back in 2018. An initial informal public consultation was held in February 2022 after which proposals were revised and a statutory consultation undertaken between July and August 2023.
Cllr Dan Barrington, cabinet member for transport and connectivity, said changes to the city’s parking offering would help deal with issues like the ongoing scourge of pavement parking. It had initially been proposed that the fee to park would go up by 10p per half hour.
However, under a scheme adopted last year, 30 minutes parking in the city centre has gone up from £1.20 to £2 while an hour will now cost £4, up from £2.40. In an update on changes to the parking scheme around Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium, the local authority said the new CPZ would soon operate from 7am-11pm every day.
Liverpool Council held consultations into extending parking charges in the city centre past their current 6pm cut-off(Image: Liverpool Echo)
A spokesperson for Liverpool Council has confirmed the long-delayed scheme is now live across the city centre. The ECHO understands the last delay related to ensuring pay and display machines were correctly updated, alongside the new signage required across the city centre.
Further changes are also to come into force as part of the amendments. Other types of parking bays, such as loading and limited waiting bays will also be amended to become pay and display, residents or disabled bays, or single yellow lines in the evenings.
The existing two hour maximum stay limit for pay and display bays on roads within the Hope Street area will be extended to four hours.
A Council parking meter outside the Cunard Building.(Image: Liverpool Echo)
This will include Hope Street, Blackburne Place, Falkner Street between Hope Street and Catherine Street, Maryland Street between Hope Street and South Hunter Street and Caledonia Street.
The proposed extended hours will require additional enforcement, with revenues expected to bring in almost £240,000 until parking behaviours improved.
The cost of enforcement will be met from within existing budgets and also from the potential additional revenue generated not only in the city centre but across the city.