HAIRDRESSER Scott Green is leading a trader’s revolt against plans to increase the price of parking permits in Devizes by more than 70 per cent.

Mr Green, who runs ACU in High Street, Devizes, was shocked when he realised the price of a six month permit for the long stay area of Station Road car park was to go up from £140 to £240.

He said: “When I worked out the maths and it came to more than a 70 per cent increase I couldn’t believe it. I have no problems with a bit of an increase but this is ridiculous. It will really discourage people from buying permits and mean more and more drivers will try and park on residential streets.”

Elliot Cargill, a director of Charlton Baker accountants in Snuff Street, said: “We buy 15 permits for our staff so the increase would be huge.”

The planned changes by Wiltshire Council were announced last week in a public notice which also included proposals to bring in a parking charge in the Market Place and to introduce Sunday and Bank Holiday fees.

On Tuesday members of Devizes Town Council backed a working party report which called the parking permit rise unacceptable and asked for the Sunday and Bank Holiday charges to be removed from the traffic regulation order.

It also asked for plans to introduce payment in the Market Place to be deferred until a full impact assessment is carried out. The report suggests that to replace the potential revenue from charging in the Market Place the length of stay allowed in free on-street parking in the town centre should be reduced which would push more motorists into car parks.

The working party is also asking for the short stay designation on part of Station Road to be removed so people can park all day. Town councillors voted unanimously to back the report and called for a meeting with cabinet members Philip Whitehead and Bridget Wayman.