Fareham council to introduce controversial charges across coastal car parks

The executive of Fareham Borough Council voted in favour of introducing charges at nine coastal car parks across the area, with the revenue covering costs for new car park equipment and supporting an emergency coronavirus budget. It would include Swanwick, Warsash, Meon Shore, Hill Head and Portchester.

Charge will also help pay for a £5.5m refurbishment of the Osborn Road multi-storey car park in the town centre.

Council leader Sean Woodward said he had received an ‘unprecedented’ response from residents on social media regarding the proposals – but the alternatives were ‘unpalatable’.

He said: ‘Fareham hasn’t charged for a generation.

‘We do need to raise income, because the alternative in terms of reduction of services is too awful and unpalatable to contemplate.

‘Every car park – be it a coastal car park or a free car park – will be consulted on separately in order that we come up with the right regulations on a “car park by car park” basis.’

It follows a petition against the plans gathering more than 1,700 signatures, with the organiser of the petition calling the charges ‘as a tax on exercise’ for water sport enthusiasts who regularly use the coastal parking facilities.

Mark Collins said: ‘This does not represent value for money.’

The Warsash resident called the £900,000 predicated revenue from the charges a ‘guess’, while council officers explained this figure was based on surveys carried out last year.

More than 10 residents spoke or submitted deputations to the meeting, raising concerns that charges will cause dangerous parking along residential streets and deter popular waterside recreation and clubs.

Philip Warwick, representing Hill Head Sailing Club and the Seafarers Sailing Club, said the charges could pose ‘an existential threat’ to the Seafarers club, which has more than 850 members.

He added: ‘The parking charges couldn’t come at a worse time.’

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Another resident, Sophie Carnaghan, added: ‘We are extremely fearful the effect this will have on the already overstretched parking facilities.

‘We cannot endure the consequences of introducing parking charges.’

The coastal car parks will see a charge of £1 per hour – up to a maximum of six hours – from 10am to 6pm each day.

A pay-by-app system will be introduced to cover all pay and display car parks.

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