'Parking charges will kill our trade in town centre'
TRADERS in Fareham are to fight plans for evening parking charges which they fear could destroy their businesses.
Fareham Borough Council is considering introducing evening parking charges in the town centre car parks.
Councillors had been due to make a decision at a meeting in July, but the scheme was deferred to allow surveys to be carried out to see how often the car parks are used at night and to work out how much it would cost to operate with enforcement patrols.
Now the plans have returned, and businesses are preparing to battle to get them scrapped.
Currently drivers are only charged to park until 6pm, but the new charges would run until midnight, from January 1 next year.
Drivers would pay up to 1.50 to park in the town and the council will make an estimated profit of around 44,000 a year. Meanwhile the council is also considering charging drivers to park at eight coastal car parks across the borough, which are currently free.
Stefan Boxall, manager of Chicago Rock Cafe, said: 'It's going to be bad for the town centre. It's a bit of a shame. I don't really see why it's necessary.
'It forces people out of the town. It's a bit excessive.
'I don't think they need to be that money grabbing.'
Neil Munro, general manager of the Apollo Cinema in Vannes Parade, said: 'It's unfortunate if they are going to start charging in the evenings. It will have a detrimental effect not only on my business but on the staffing side too. I'm worried I might lose some good people as a consequence.
'We employ a lot of young girls - the long-stay car parks are far away from the town centre. A lot of the car parks don't have CCTV and they are very dark so there's a worry from a security point of view too.'
Councillor Sean Woodward, leader of the council, said the charges were necessary because of a lack of funds.
'We have only got three sources of income - government grants, which will be cut, council tax and fees and charges,' he said. 'There's only one place to go and I'm a strong believer that the user pays.'
The money raised from charges will go towards a five-year plan to rebuild the Osborn Road car park in the town centre, which will cost around 495,000.
'The money that we raise in car parking for the most part goes to pay for car parking,' added Cllr Woodward.
A decision will be made at an executive meeting on Monday.
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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