Cost-of-living crisis Counting the cost of 21stcentury living Sarah Juggins investigates the impact of rising costs and service delivery pressures on the parking profession he cost-of-living crisis is hitting every sector of business and society with a wallop. Its a grim picture of rising food, energy and commodity prices, plus high levels of inflation and stagnant wages. To varying degrees, most businesses, local authorities and individuals are feeling the squeeze. The scale of the challenge facing the public sector was highlighted recently by the leader of Newcastle City Council, Nick Kemp, whose local authority has to save 63.2m over the next three years, having already saved 347m since 2010. Among the headline measures Newcastle City Council will be taking to remodel key services to meet challenges while keeping residents safe, is an increase of 20p per hour for every parking transaction in the citys on- and off-street services. Of course, income derived from on-street parking services and penalty charges is ring-fenced for improvements and maintenance of transport services. T 16 As reviews and price rises take place across the country, local papers and news websites will be screaming about parking being a cash cow, but the tired repetitions fail to point out that the cost of providing parking services just as with every other service has risen exponentially. All at a time when parking is being asked to provide more efficient and more environmentally friendly solutions. Key challenges Richard Dilks, chief executive of CoMoUK the national organisation for shared transport summed it up in his annual update to members: A high-inflation recession brings extra challenges for all in the sector, whether public, private or third-sector. While we are seeing positive policy and practice changes all the time on the ground and with governments, the climate crisis is also marching on much faster than our sustainable transport realities. It seems there are three challenges facing the parking sector, whether private or local