Hard-pressed traders in Bradford city centre look set to lose their fight to get free on-street parking to bring in more shoppers.

A Council report says 20-minute charge-free period could cost the authority up to £90,000 a year and mean doubling patrols of parking wardens.

Councillors agreed in January to extend the number of pay-and-display parking bays by 200 new spaces, the majority of which were previously free limited waiting. But the decision was later “called-in” and officers were asked to look into the possibility of offering the short free period.

The free-parking move has been championed by the Chamber of Trade, which represents city centre businesses, but Val Summerscales, of the Chamber, said she feared it was now unlikely to be introduced.

She said: “When the review of city centre parking began, our key point was about wanting the first hour free to maintain the status quo.

“This was rejected, and now they have looked into providing 20 minutes free, which is better than nothing.

“The extra pay-and-display bays will more than double the income for the Council from city centre parking. While some income would be lost if a free period was agreed, I can’t see how it would be as much as £90,000.”

Any extra income would pay for extra wardens to enforce a free period, she said.

Chamber members were monitoring whether the extension of charging was having any effect on trade.

She said: “We have got to get as many people back into the city centre as we can and offering a period of free parking provides an even playing field against the free parking that is offered at out-of-town retail centres.”

In a report to the Council’s environment and waste scrutiny committee, Paul Ratcliffe, the parking services co-ordinator, outlines the effects any such changes would have.

He states: “If a free parking period is offered, enforcement can only be maintained through observation and issue, requiring wardens to either wait for 20 minutes at a given location, or by returning to the location after 20 minutes, doubling patrolling requirements.

“Free issue tickets would assist with enforcement but may be open to abuse and misuse.”

Changes have already been made to city centre parking following the decision in January, with two dozen streets now having pay-and-display parking.

The one-hour limit has been extended to two hours and drivers must pay 70p for up to one hour and £1.40 for up to two hours. The charging hours remain the same – from 10am to 4.30pm. It is expected that this will double the income from parking charges to an additional income £250,000 a year.

Councillors will be asked to consider four options: introducing a 20-minute free period enforced through observation; introducing a 20 minute free period with free tickets issued; abandoning the proposals altogether; or monitoring the use of the new pay and display areas and the tariffs and review them annually.

Officers recommend the latter, and any recommendation made by councillors on the panel would need to go on to a future meeting of the executive for a final decision.

The meeting of the environment and waste committee takes place on Thursday, June 28, at 5.30pm in Bradford’s City Hall.