Parking permits for businesses could be set to rise by £55 in in Epsom, in a bid to generate more income from charges.

Epsom and Ewell Borough Council is considering imposing an increase on parking permits as it looks at ways to meet budget pressures.

This would range from a £55 increase for business permits at Ashley Centre, bringing the price up to £2,050 a year.

Changes for resident permits could increase by between £5 and £30, with a permit for Adelphi Road rising to £125 a year and for Hudson House to £950 a year.

The council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy identified an additional £116,000 would be required from car parking fees in 2019/20.

If the council does not agree with the 3 per cent rise in permit charges, then the extra income will have to be met from a different area of the budget.

In papers to go to the council’s environment and safe communities committee on Tuesday, October 23, it states: “Whilst car parks such as Town Hall, Hope Lodge and Depot Road have performed well in 2017/18, 52% of the total car parking revenue from tariffs was generated by the Ashley Centre. In this regard, any proposals to significantly increase revenue from car park tariffs would invariably impact on charges within the Ashley Centre.”

The changes being proposed for 2019/20 have been discussed by a cross party working group and could potentially identify an increase of £12,100 from permit increases alone.

The £104,000 shortfall will still have to be met either by savings or extra income from car parks or from elsewhere in the council’s budget.

Car parking tariff prices will not be increased in 2019/20 due to the impact of major road works in Epsom and the effect it is having on visitor numbers in the town. But they will be reviewed next year.

The paper adds: “Throughout the past year major works have continued in the town centre including works in South Street and at the Playhouse junction which at times have caused significant traffic build up in the town centre. Coupled with other recent utility works in Hook Road, Ashley Road and East Street travel times to and from Epsom have increased.”

Councillors will consider the proposals at the environment and safe communities committee on Tuesday, October 23