Key Points
- Proposal for the extension of paid car parking charge times in Ormskirk Car Park from 8.30am-5.30pm to 8am-6pm on Mondays to Saturdays.
- Extension of paid charging times will apply to all off-street council-run car parks in Ormskirk.
- Proposed Off-Street Parking Places Order issued by West Lancashire Council on 27th August 2026.
- Should the order receive approval, it can become operational no earlier than 19th October 2026.
- Car parking will be free of charge on Sundays and Bank Holidays.
- At Park Road, there will be 30 minutes’ free parking offered at all bays with a condition that motorists will have to get and show a ticket.
- At Wheatsheaf, 30 minutes’ free parking will be provided at bays 1-12 but also requires a displayed ticket.
- Derby Street long stay car park will keep its existing periods of free parking at 30 minutes from Monday to Friday and four hours on Saturdays.
- The proposal includes the condition of “no return within two hours”.
- Order conditions will include electric vehicle charging bays and conditions for future cashless parking provision.
- Any representations including comments and objections can be made to the council until 8th October 2026.
- Please send your representations to the Legal Services Team of West Lancashire Borough Council or email to carparking@westlancs.gov.uk.
Liverpool (Liverpool standard ) August 31, 2026 — Motorists using council-run off-street car parks in Ormskirk could be charged between 8am and 6pm from Monday to Saturday under plans being considered by West Lancashire Council.
- Key Points
- Which Ormskirk car parks would be covered by the proposal?
- What would motorists pay at short-stay car parks?
- What are the proposed long-stay parking tariffs?
- How would Derby Street car park operate?
- What would drivers pay at Hants Lane?
- What would drivers pay at Hutton Way and The Stiles?
- Would cashless payments and EV parking rules change?
- When could the new charging hours begin?
- How can people comment on the parking order?
- Background: Why is West Lancashire Council issuing a new parking order?
- Prediction: How could the proposal affect Ormskirk motorists and businesses?
Ormskirk car park charging hours could be extended by an hour at both the start and end of the day under a proposed new parking order published by West Lancashire Council.
The proposal would replace the existing charging timetable, which currently applies from 8.30am until 5.30pm. If adopted, the revised hours would mean that paid parking begins 30 minutes earlier and finishes 30 minutes later than at present.
As reported by the Liverpool Echo, West Lancashire Council has published notice of a proposed new Off-Street Parking Places Order covering Ormskirk. The notice was issued on August 27, 2026, and the changes would not take effect before October 19, 2026, subject to the order being approved.
The proposed order covers the council’s arrangements for off-street parking, including charging times, tariffs, free-parking periods, permits, parking conditions and the management of electric-vehicle charging spaces.
The council has stated that the order is intended to consolidate and update arrangements at its Ormskirk car parks. Sunday and bank holiday parking would remain free under the proposal.
Which Ormskirk car parks would be covered by the proposal?
The proposed charging-hour change would apply to council-run off-street car parks in Ormskirk.
Short-stay sites listed in the published proposal are:
- Bus Station
- Lunesdale
- Market Way
- Park Pool
- Park Road
- Wheatsheaf
The proposal also includes long-stay car parks at:
- Derby Street
- Hants Lane
- Hutton Way
- The Stiles
The standard charging period for the sites would be 8am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday. No charges would apply on Sundays or bank holidays.
The council’s proposal would retain the existing rule preventing a vehicle from returning to the same car park within two hours after leaving. This restriction is included within the wider conditions of use rather than being presented as a new measure.
What would motorists pay at short-stay car parks?
Under the proposed order, the stated short-stay tariff would apply at Bus Station, Lunesdale, Market Way, Park Pool, Park Road and Wheatsheaf, where the maximum stay is four hours.
| Length of stay | Proposed charge |
|---|---|
| Up to one hour | £1.00 |
| Up to two hours | £1.50 |
| Up to three hours | £2.00 |
| Up to four hours | £2.50 |
The notice sets out two site-specific free-parking arrangements within the short-stay group.
At Park Road, drivers would be able to park free for up to 30 minutes in all bays. However, motorists would still be required to obtain a ticket and display it in their vehicle.
At Wheatsheaf, the proposed 30-minute free stay would apply only to bays one to 12. A ticket would likewise have to be obtained and displayed.
These details are relevant for drivers making brief visits to nearby shops, services or town-centre facilities. The free periods are not automatic exemptions, as the proposal specifically says a ticket must be displayed where the free period applies.
What are the proposed long-stay parking tariffs?
The proposed order sets out different arrangements for the four long-stay sites.
How would Derby Street car park operate?
Derby Street would retain its existing free-parking periods, according to the published notice.
From Monday to Friday, motorists could park free for up to 30 minutes, provided that they obtain and display a ticket. On Saturdays, up to four hours of free parking would remain available, again with a ticket required.
After the applicable free period, the stated Derby Street charges would be:
| Length of stay | Proposed charge |
|---|---|
| Up to five hours | £3.00 |
| Up to 10 hours | £4.00 |
The proposal therefore preserves the Saturday free-parking arrangement at Derby Street rather than replacing it with the standard paid tariff.
What would drivers pay at Hants Lane?
At Hants Lane, the proposed charges are:
| Length of stay | Proposed charge |
|---|---|
| Up to one hour | £1.00 |
| Up to two hours | £1.50 |
| Up to three hours | £2.00 |
| Up to four hours | £2.50 |
| Up to 10 hours | £3.00 |
What would drivers pay at Hutton Way and The Stiles?
The proposed tariff for Hutton Way and The Stiles is the same:
| Length of stay | Proposed charge |
|---|---|
| Up to one hour | £1.00 |
| Up to two hours | £1.50 |
| Up to three hours | £2.00 |
| Up to four hours | £2.50 |
| Up to five hours | £3.00 |
| Up to 10 hours | £4.00 |
The council’s published details differentiate Hants Lane from Hutton Way and The Stiles at the longer-stay end of the tariff. Hants Lane lists a charge of £3 for parking up to 10 hours, while Hutton Way and The Stiles list £3 for up to five hours and £4 for up to 10 hours.
Would cashless payments and EV parking rules change?
The proposed Off-Street Parking Places Order would formalise a framework that could allow West Lancashire Council to introduce cashless parking in future.
The notice does not state that a specific cashless-payment system will begin on a particular date. Instead, it says the order would enable future cashless parking arrangements to be implemented by the council.
The order would also regulate the use of electric-vehicle charging bays. The published notice says this is intended to support compliance and turnover at spaces provided for EV charging. It does not set out further operational detail, such as a separate charging tariff or time limit for individual EV bays.
The proposal additionally includes provision for permits. These include public permits, including those related to Hants Lane, as well as permits for council staff and elected members. It also allows for flexible permit arrangements if future parking schemes require them.
When could the new charging hours begin?
The proposed order would come into operation no sooner than October 19, 2026, if it is approved.
This is not a confirmed implementation date. The council has issued a notice proposing the order and is accepting public representations before making a final decision.
The consultation period gives people who use the car parks, including residents, town-centre workers, business owners and visitors, an opportunity to examine the draft documentation and state whether they support, oppose or wish to comment on the proposal.
According to the Liverpool Echo, the council’s notice includes the draft order, plans of affected car parks and a statement of reasons. These documents can be viewed through the council’s website or in person at the council’s offices at 52 Derby Street, Ormskirk, during normal office hours.
How can people comment on the parking order?
People who want to support, object to or comment on the proposed order must submit their representation by October 8, 2026.
West Lancashire Council asks respondents to state the grounds for their representation. Comments can be sent in writing to:
Legal Services
West Lancashire Borough Council
52 Derby Street
Ormskirk
Lancashire
L39 2DF
Representations can also be emailed to carparking@westlancs.gov.uk.
The consultation process concerns the proposed legal order, rather than only the extension of charging hours. People making representations can therefore address any part of the plans, including the standard hours, tariffs, free-stay arrangements, permit provisions, ticket-display requirement, cashless-payment framework or EV-bay rules.
Background: Why is West Lancashire Council issuing a new parking order?
An Off-Street Parking Places Order is the mechanism a local authority uses to set out the rules governing council-operated car parks. It can cover where parking is permitted, when charges apply, tariffs, maximum stays, exemptions, permits and the conditions motorists must follow.
In this case, West Lancashire Council’s proposed order would consolidate and update the parking arrangements applying to its Ormskirk sites. According to the council notice reported by the Liverpool Echo, the proposal combines practical parking provisions with changes including the earlier 8am start and later 6pm finish for weekday and Saturday charging.
The proposal keeps several existing or free-parking arrangements in place. Parking on Sundays and bank holidays would continue to be free. Derby Street’s weekday short free period and Saturday four-hour free period would also remain, subject to the requirement to obtain and display a ticket.
At Park Road and Wheatsheaf, the order would introduce or specify 30-minute free periods, with Wheatsheaf’s arrangement limited to bays one to 12. The proposed order also retains the no-return-within-two-hours rule and establishes a legal basis for future cashless payment arrangements and EV-charging-bay controls.
Prediction: How could the proposal affect Ormskirk motorists and businesses?
If West Lancashire Council approves the order, regular motorists who currently park between 8am and 8.30am, or between 5.30pm and 6pm from Monday to Saturday, could need to pay where they do not currently face a charge. The direct practical effect would be most relevant to early workers, commuters, shoppers, visitors and people using town-centre services during those additional charging periods.
Drivers making short visits to Park Road or eligible Wheatsheaf bays could benefit from the proposed 30-minute free stays, but they would need to remember that a ticket must still be obtained and displayed. Failing to follow that requirement could affect whether a vehicle is regarded as complying with the parking conditions.
For businesses, the outcome may be relevant because parking availability, short-stay access and the cost of longer visits can influence how customers and staff plan trips into the town centre. However, the published notice does not provide an assessment of the proposal’s financial or commercial impact, and it would be premature to state that any particular effect will occur.
The order could also provide the council with greater flexibility to introduce cashless parking in the future and to manage EV bays through specified conditions. Whether, when and how those powers are used would depend on subsequent council decisions. For now, the immediate issue for residents and car-park users is the consultation deadline of October 8, 2026, ahead of any possible implementation from October 19, 2026.
