Parking charges introduced at Boscawen Park

Truro City Council introduces a pay and display system at Boscawen Park with a four hour free window.

Parking machine installed at Cornwall family park for first time

Truro City Council has installed a pay and display machine at Boscawen Park on the outskirts of the city centre. Signage will mark the change and entry is expected in early September. A second machine is planned at the cricket club end once the future Boscawen Sports Hub is completed. Tariffs start with four hours free, followed by 4.20 for four to five hours, 6.20 for five to six hours, 8.50 for six to seven hours and up to 10.50 for a full day.

The parking order also includes changes to the layout. Lines will be repainted to create more disabled parking and to designate no parking areas along the river slip. Victoria Gardens car park across the city will be free from dawn to dusk with a two hour no return rule. Campers and motorhomes will be prohibited from parking in certain spots, and Hendra and library car parks will be permit holders only. Overnight parking will be restricted at the new sports hub car park, with a ticket machine installed later and tariffs aligned with the main car park. The sports hub project, a £5.2m scheme funded by Truro Town Deal, will include a new multi use building, changing rooms and spaces for conferences and community events. Indoor sports like badminton and basketball will share the facility, and the outdoor space will see a improved pétanque pitch and longer usable grass pitches.

The move reflects a practical step to fund park upkeep while testing how the community adapts to paid access. A four hour free window aims to ease the transition, but longer stays carry higher costs, which could shift how families and casual visitors use the space. The plan also shifts management of several car parks to permit systems and restricts overnight access near the hub, signaling a broader push to monetize public space while pursuing tangible improvements.

This change comes within a wider trend of funding local amenities through user fees. If the revenue stream supports the new sports hub and ongoing maintenance, residents may see tangible benefits. Yet the policy could provoke backlash from some users who rely on free parking, underscoring the need for clear accountability and ongoing community dialogue about priorities and costs.

Highlights

The test will be in how fairly the charges are felt by families and daily park users.