Free parking to end at seven sites in Pembrokeshire

Pembroke Dock chamber of trade says parking charges in the area have already affected businesses

Free car parking is being withdrawn at seven sites in Pembrokeshire.

Motorists will have to pay 40p an hour at the sites, and around £1.50 for 24 hours, in a move protestors said would be "dangerous" and affect businesses in those areas.

Pembrokeshire council said the new charges, ratified on Monday, would raise around £120,000 a year.

There will be dedicated "pop and shop" bays, where people will be able to park for free for 30 minutes.

But James Parfitt, owner of Parfitt's Carpets and Interiors and chairman of Pembroke Dock chamber of trade, said similar charges introduced at Gordon Street four years ago had had an adverse effect on businesses in the area.

"Within the first year, my personal business saw a downturn of 25%," he said.

"Free parking being taken away has a huge negative effect on the regeneration of any town."

Elfyn Rees, chairman of St Dogmaels community council, said that the new parking charges could endanger people's safety on the High Street.

He said: "The streets are narrow in many places and it's within people's nature to try and avoid paying and park on the main street.

"It will make an already dangerous High Street even more dangerous."

Keith Lewis, the deputy leader of the council, said he sympathised with the concerns, but that the authority faced "ever reducing budgets and ever increasing demands".

Charges will be introduced at:

• High St, St Dogmaels

• Station Hill, Goodwick

• New Quay, Haverfordwest

• St Thomas Green, Haverfordwest

• Rifleman's Field, Haverfordwest

• Mart Ground, Crymych

• Station Road, Pembroke