Car parking cost to rise (From Swindon Advertiser)

Car parking cost to rise

4:50pm Thursday 11th March 2010

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SMALL business owners have claimed the council is adding ‘insult to injury’ by raising parking charges again.

Shopkeepers say a rise in costs will heap pressure on poorly performing town centre businesses which are already suffering from the effects of the recession and the retraction of the council’s parking charge reductions over Christmas.

Nigel Moorcroft, from Great Western Cameras, in Market Street, said he has had to end home deliveries because it is too expensive to park in the town centre.

Mr Moorcroft, who has been in business in Swindon for 28 years, said: “Prior to Christmas the council reduced the charges and I think most businesses noticed a change in ‘dwell’ times.

“We continually saw people browsing in the shop leaving and returning to purchase something, as they weren’t rushing back to their cars.

“We were quite disappointed when the council put the charges back up, we thought the four hours for £2 deal worked quite well.

“Since the New Year and the retraction of the charges we have had to end home deliveries because it simply costs too much to park in the town centre.

“The new charges will force another fundamental shift, it will further force people to think before they come into town.

“Before this announcement many were already questioning why they enter the town centre when there’s free parking in places like Orbital.”

The charges which will come into effect on April 1, will see car parks including Brunel West, Wyvern, Carlton, North Star, Sheppard Street and Queenstown charge 20p extra for motorists staying between four and six hours and a further 10p for those staying between six and 24 hours.

They come a year after the council more than doubled Sunday and bank holiday parking charges from 90p to £2.40 for two hours in certain town centre car parks.

It also recently doubled six-month residents’ parking permits to £25 and a year-long permits from £25 to £40.

A council spokesman said: “It was agreed as part of the council’s budget for the next year that charges for longer-term parking would increase slightly.

“No increases are being made for parking for four hours or less, which are the typical periods used by shoppers.

“The cost of parking between four and six hours will rise by 20p and between 6 and 24 hours by 10p.”

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