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‘The council is not immune to the cost of living’ - Fareham councillors have increased coastal car parking charges to fend off inflationary pressures.

Currently, residents wishing to use the nine coastal car parks across the borough have to pay £80 for a season ticket.

Under the changes, residents will pay £95 with non-residents charged £145 per year.

The chargeable rate between 10am to 6pm will increase by 10 per cent - this amounts to £1.10 per hour.

Chair of Portchester Society, Jean Withinshaw with members of Portchester Sailing Club and volunteers at the church cafe in front of the Portchester Castle car park in August last year Picture: Habibur Rahman

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Charges in the nine car parks, which provide 665 spaces, were introduced in August 2021. There were several protests, including in Portchester about the fees for parking at the castle which came in this year. Other car parks to have seen charges include those at Swanwick, Warsash, Meon Shore, and Hill Head.

Councillor Ian Bastable, executive member for street scene said: ‘I didn’t become a councillor to put charges up on our residents but we’re in a situation where it’s costing the council more to run these car parks and we have to find that money from somewhere.

‘I believe it’s correct to increase the charges as proposed - because if not to do so we would have to put the burden on all of our residents.’

Councillor Connie Hockley, executive member for housing said the decision conflicted ‘head and heart’.

‘On balance and after a lot of consideration and having discussed it with colleagues, it’s been through the scrutiny board, I'm very happy to support the recommendations,’ she said.

Executive member for health and public protection, Cllr Joanne Burton added: ‘We speak about the cost of living crisis - it is a choice to use these facilities or not.

‘The council is not immune to the cost of living, we too are facing energy prices and there are staff that want and need pay increases.’

Council leader Sean Woodward said: ‘We have to focus on the fact that we were the only council that didn’t charge for coastal car parking, now we do.

‘Eighty-five per cent of the cost of everything we provide doesn’t come from council tax, it certainly doesn't come from a cheque from the government, so we have to raise all of the other costs.’

Fareham Council increases parking charges for coastal car parks - only 16 months after introducing them

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