Chichester council car park price increases approved

The cost of parking in Baffins Lane Car Park and in Little London for up to three hours will rise from £6.60 to £7

Proposed price increases at Chichester District Council car parks have been approved.

The changes, which include the introduction of charges in rural car parks on Sundays, were approved at a full council meeting on Tuesday.

From 1 April drivers will be faced with a 6.7% increase on pay and display tariffs and a 6.5% season ticket rise.

The cost of parking for up to three hours in central Chichester will also rise from £6.60 to £7.

In short stay car parks the cost will increase from £5.20 to £5.50.

Parking for up to 10 hours at long stay car parks, such as Cattle Market and Northgate, will rise from £7.90 to £8.40.

Sunday tariffs in city centre long stay car parks will also now be charged at the Monday to Saturday rate, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Drivers will also be charged for parking in short stay car parks until 20:00, rather than 18:00 - although there will be no change at Cattle Market, Basin Road and Avenue de Chartres.

There was quite a debate over the changes, with concerns raised about the impact it could have on small businesses in rural high streets.

Arundel and South Downs MP Andrew Griffith called the changes "the great parking betrayal".

Harsha Desai, cabinet member for growth and place, told the meeting that a consultation into the changes, which was held at the end of last year, only attracted five responses.

She added that the money raised from the increased and additional charges would "really help us to support services in the council".

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