The changes are due to be discussed by Cabinet on Tuesday 4 February and are being presented as a way to encourage people to spend longer in Swindon and support regeneration.
Under the proposals, the first hour of parking would rise to £2.50 (from £1.70). Charges for stays of two hours or more would fall, with some reductions described by the council as substantial.
An eight-hour stay in a town centre car park would drop from £28.70 to £7.50. The council says this is aimed at supporting workers and existing employers.
The authority insists the revised pricing structure is a rebalance rather than an increase. It says the changes are not designed to raise additional revenue.
Plans also include the introduction of free on-street parking on Commercial Road to encourage short visits. Details on how this would be enforced have not yet been published.
Councillor Jim Robbins, Leader of Swindon Borough Council, said the authority was deliberately moving away from using parking charges as a revenue tool.
“The proposed changes are not designed to make the Council any extra money, this is all about supporting local businesses by making it cheaper for people to park in the town centre and Old Town for longer,” he said.
“If we can get people spending more time in the town centre this will help our efforts to encourage additional investment and regeneration.”
However, some independent retailers have warned the proposals could deter short, casual visits at a time when footfall is already under pressure.
One independent business owner, Vince Ayris said the approach favoured cafés, leisure and the evening economy over everyday retail.
“For shops like ours, the first 20 to 40 minutes matter most. Pop-in customers keep us going,” he said.
“If someone stays longer, they’ve usually already decided to spend. Putting the first hour up to £2.50 creates a mental barrier that discourages casual visits.”
They added that customers were not avoiding the town centre because long stays were expensive. Instead, they said visits had become shorter as overall footfall declined.
“Thirty minutes free parking matters because it lowers the barrier and encourages impulse visits,” the business owner said.
“This plan helps the idea of a future town centre more than the businesses trying to survive now.”
The proposals would also align Old Town parking prices with those in the town centre. The council says simplified tariffs would be introduced across its car parks.
Councillor Chris Watts, Cabinet Member for the Environment and Transport, said the council wanted to be more progressive rather than applying routine inflation-linked increases.
“It would have been very easy to maintain the status quo, but we want to make it easier and more convenient for shoppers,” he said.
He pointed to cashless payment systems, clearer signage and improved public transport links such as the Fleming Way Bus Interchange.
Critics accept that cheaper long stays could benefit workers and the hospitality sector, particularly in the evening. They argue the approach represents a trade-off that prioritises longer dwell times over high-turnover retail.
No local data has yet been published showing how higher first-hour charges could affect short-stay demand. Details on monitoring or trial periods have also not been confirmed.
Some business owners have suggested alternative options. These include offering 30 minutes free parking in selected car parks, or trialling changes before making them permanent.
As the plans go before Cabinet, the debate highlights differing views on the future of Swindon’s town centre. The council is betting on longer visits, while independent retailers say quick, everyday trips still keep many businesses alive.
