Liverpool Councillors Park for Free While Workers Face Higher Charges

Liverpool City Council is under fire after it was revealed the authority spends around £30,000 a year on free parking permits for councillors—just months after raising charges for the public and extending them late into the night.

A Freedom of Information request showed that elected members are granted permits for city centre car parks, including Victoria Street, while musicians, hospitality staff and other night workers say the new fees are cutting into their income and making them feel unsafe.

From July, hourly parking costs increased from £2.40 to £4, with free evening parking scrapped. Charges now run until 23:00, and the council expects to collect around £240,000 in fines before drivers adjust.

The move has been widely criticised. Pianist Barry Dallan said performers who must drive bulky equipment into the city now lose £10 or more from each gig, while singer Jade Dyas described the contrast with councillors’ free parking as “insulting.” Hospitality workers share similar concerns: sommelier Izabela Dzik said she now has to park further away after finishing late shifts, leaving her feeling vulnerable walking alone at night.

Paul Askew, chef-owner of the Art School and chair of Liverpool Hospitality Industry Association, warned the changes were a major blow for the sector, describing the revelations about councillors’ free parking as hard to swallow.

Almost 90% of respondents to a consultation opposed the new rules, but the council pressed ahead, saying the measures are part of a transport strategy to reduce car reliance and promote public transport.

A council spokesperson defended the free permit scheme, arguing it avoids the greater administrative cost of processing individual claims and applies to members of all parties. They said concerns about misuse—such as weekend parking—had been investigated and linked to legitimate overtime. A review of the scheme is expected later this year.

The council did not comment on the impact of the policy on musicians or the city’s night-time economy.