SWINDON Council has angered motorists and delighted others by lowering car park charges for long-stay shoppers – but increasing them for short-term visits.

From yesterday, motorists parking in the Brunel North, Brunel West and Fleming Way car parks paid just £2 for a four-hour stay, down from £4.80.

However anyone wanting to pay for a solitary hour will now have pay the full £2 rather than the previous fee of £1.20 in these three car parks.

Shoppers were unhappy that signs at the entrance to the car parks had not yet been altered to reflect the changes. They also wanted to know why parking charges were not reduced for shorter stays.

“Why can’t they just lower it for everyone?” asked Jo Warton, from Old Town.

“My husband only likes to shop for a couple of hours so it would have been nice for them to treat everyone the same no matter how long they stay.”

The new prices come five months after the Adver first revealed anger amongst traders and shoppers after the council more than doubled fees in several town centre car parks from 90p to £2.40.

Emma Faramarzi, chairwoman of Swindon’s Federation of Small Businesses, said that although ‘every little bit helps’ she believed the council could have been smarter about the price reductions.

She said: “The council is stuck between a rock and a hard place to be fair, but I must say if they are going to lower charges, then apply lower charges for everyone, don’t punish the short-term parkers.

“Shoppers staying for an hour is better than them not coming at all.”

However Coun Peter Greenhalgh, Swindon Council’s cabinet member for transport, said the council orchestrated the move to help shop owners during the economic downturn.

He said: “We have done this to try and improve the town centre and to help shop owners in the recession.

“The retailers employ people from Swindon and we want to help.

“We will be monitoring this on a regular basis to see how we go.

“The council is suffering a loss of income. The harsh reality is that we have to manage the budget we have set or put up council tax and we don’t want to do that.”

Mr Greenhalgh added that the council predicted the move would lower its car park and ‘enforcement revenue’ from £3m to £2.5m. However he also claimed the loss could be tempered by an increase in town centre visitors by at least 20 per cent.

The new prices will apply to any vehicle entering the car parks between 10am and 6pm seven days a week.

Charges will return to £4.80 for a four-hour stay, and £1.20 for a one-hour stay on January 10.

Opinion among shop owners about the new charges seem to be split.

Nigel Moorcroft, owner of Great Western Cameras, in Market Street, said he thought the move was a positive one.

He said: “I think it is high time they were lowered prices giving shoppers an opportunity to linger in the town centre.”

However Andrew Kilpatrick, from property consultants firm Thompsons on Commercial Road, said: “Anything that reduces parking and encourages more people into town has to be a good idea, but the problem is that the way it has been introduced in only three car parks.

“Your general shoppers are going to have to hunt for these car parks.

“It’s like waving a carrot at them, but you have to go on a treasure trail search for the carrot.”

THE organisation charged with finding appropriate businesses for the town centre has responded to shoppers’ charges that there are not enough independent shops in the town centre – to the detriment of shopper selection and variety.

The New Swindon Company said that numerous projects were under way to attract independent retailers.

Besides the lowering of car parking charges, Carol Heneghan, director of marketing, said: “Both the public and private sector partners working in the town centre are progressing with a number of major initiatives that will provide the kind of town centre that will attract both national and independent retailers.

“Swindon Council is improving the public realm in the main shopping streets, some £11m will be spent over the next three years.”

“The South West Regional Development Agency has funded the works in Canal Walk that are ongoing, while the Brunel Centre is working with its occupiers, as well as inSwindon (which manages the town centre) and Swindon Borough Council, to promote what the town centre offers across the borough and surrounding areas.

“The New Swindon Company is working with both the South West Regional Development Agency and Swindon Borough Council to improve the look of empty units by providing graphics for shop frontages. While inSwindon will have a full programme of activity leading up to Christmas to increase footfall and trade.”

Simon Jackson, chief executive officer of inSwindon, said that it was early days to assess the impact the new car parking charges would have on town centre stores.

He said: “Obviously, it will take some time before we are able to assess the impact that the reduced car parking charges will have on footfall and spend in the town centre. However, we are confident that the new charges, together with the exciting family-orientated package of events and activities in the run up to the Christmas season, will attract many more visitors into the town centre over the coming months.”

CASH conscious shoppers at the Swindon Designer Outlet said the town centre’s lack of facilities and sky-high parking prices had driven them out.

Andrew Sampson, 26, a computer analyst from Calne, said he had switched to the outlet because he was conscious of parking prices. He said: “When I am shopping I hate clock watching, the outlet’s parking charges are reasonable at £1 for five hours.

“When I am parking I always look for the lowest price – like lots of people, so if it is at the outlet then I will come here.

“To be honest looking at the two places in terms of quality I think the parking prices should be reversed.”

Linda Hunt, 50, from Wanborough, said she had parked in the town centre for 40 minutes and paid £2 – but got double the time at half the price at the outlet.

She said: “I did notice when I came to park here that it was very reasonable especially after coming from the town centre.

“Another great thing about the outlet village is that if you spend £100 or more you get free parking – the council should try and come up with more ideas like that.”

John Woolard, 65, from Upper Stratton said: “I think the town centre needs a total revamp.

“We would like to see some independent stores.”

“More shops like Marlborough would be helpful - its parking charges would be helpful as well.”

MOST shoppers from rival shopping districts, including the Orbital Shopping Park in north Swindon, have complained that the council’s parking cuts do not go far enough to bring them back to the centre.

Fatima Casinhas, 37, left, a single parent from Old Town, said she preferred to drive out to north Swindon than pay town centre fees.

She said: “Orbital has a play park for kids which the town centre doesn’t have and it is free parking. Look at all the cars here – it is full at 10.30am on a Monday morning.

“We used to shop in the town centre but started coming here.

“I think it’s a more relaxed atmosphere. The council would have to do a lot more than lower fees to get me back into the town centre.”

Isabelle McQueen, 52, right, from Priory Vale, said she used to switch between the town centre and Orbital, but since the prices went up she has been favouring north Swindon.

She said: “The prices in the town centre are ridiculous. In Marlborough it’s free parking on Sundays and it is cut off at 6pm - in Swindon it’s 24-hour.”