The scheme for the £1 fee after 1pm from Monday to Thursday was introduced by Waverley in its car parks in November to boost footfall over the Christmas trading period. The current offer is due to start on December 9 and end on January 1, 2026.
The Waverley Borough Council Conservative Group plans to bring a motion to extend the scheme before Waverley’s Full Council meeting on Tuesday, December 2.
The proposal, tabled by Opposition Leader Cllr Jane Austin, is aimed at supporting high street traders during the ongoing Farnham Infrastructure Programme.
The Conservatives say Farnham town centre has benefited from significant investment by Surrey County Council, with major improvement works under way and further disruption expected from January through to March 2026.
While the works are expected to bring long-term benefits, they say businesses have faced short-term trading challenges throughout 2025.
Farnham Bourne ward Cllr Carole Cockburn said: “I welcome this motion proposed by Leader of the Opposition Cllr Austin. Farnham businesses should not be left to carry the burden of improvements that will ultimately benefit the whole community.
“With the scale and duration of disruption set to continue, we must act now to protect local economic vitality and ensure our town centre remains vibrant, accessible and attractive to shoppers.”
Gregory Stafford MP for Farnham and Bordon added: “Extending support for Farnham is a practical, targeted measure to help businesses weather the disruption and keep Farnham’s high street thriving. When long-term improvements cause short-term pain, Waverley must step up and support those affected.”
Farnham Town Council, Waverley Borough Council and Surrey County Council have already introduced the £1 after-1pm parking rate from Monday to Thursday in all Waverley-run Farnham car parks.
Although Downing Street reopened to through traffic earlier this month, South Street and The Borough are due to close for further infrastructure works in the new year.
Cllr Tony Fairclough, Waverley’s portfolio holder for enforcement and regulatory services, said he was keen to do as much as possible to support the town’s retailers and hospitality businesses but believed it was too early to talk about extending a scheme that had yet to begin.
He said: “Any extension of this scheme would require their further cooperation and co-funding and that, in turn, will require hard evidence of the scheme's success.”
He said parking data for November would be available on Monday, giving a clear picture of car park usage since Downing Street reopened, including comparisons with November 2024, before the infrastructure programme began.
He said the council also needed to monitor the impact of the pre-Christmas campaign, including how the scheme affected car park usage compared with both 2024 levels and 2025 post-FIP/TCIW trends.
He said it was also important to understand the implications for residents, including whether they were still able to find parking when needed, and for retailers and hospitality businesses, including whether they saw a positive year-on-year impact on revenue.
He added that the views, objectives and future aspirations of funding partners would be critical, including whether the campaign had met their aims in a cost-effective way and whether they would be willing to fund it for a longer period.
He said the timing of any future scheme also needed careful consideration, questioning whether it was appropriate to run it while The Borough was closed, whether it could worsen congestion, or whether it would be better to wait until access improved. He added that alternative, non-parking-related options should also be explored, in consultation with Farnham businesses and the BID.
“With all of the above in mind, I believe Cllr Austin's motion to be premature. Far better to wait, review the evidence, and develop the right solutions,” added Cllr Fairclough.
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