Protest sees parking fees rethink

The pledge to reconsider the plans to increase the fees in car parks around the town by up to 12 per cent was made by Arun District Council parking supremo Cllr Stephen Brookman.

He told a meeting of business owners and representatives: 'I will see if we can find a better way of raising the money we need for our budget which gets better use out of our car parks.'

This could include free parking for limited periods in some sites or reduced fees in others. 'We want to do it in as beneficial way as possible for you,' said Cllr Brookman.

He and the council's car parks manager, services director Colin Rogers, will hold an urgent meeting to see how the planned increases can be changed.

They need to make a quick decision because the deadline for any rises to come into effect is April 1.

Sites which could be affected by the alterations include the London Road and Lyon Street car parks, and the top floor of the Fitzleet multi-storey car park. The lack of use of these spaces was constantly highlighted by the individuals at last night's meeting at Bognor Regis Town Hall.

The small turnout of nine people was representative of well over a hundred businesses. Bognor Regis Chamber of Commerce and the Arun district of the Federation of Small Businesses were among those present. Their comments centred on fears that any further increases in the parking charges would drive customers away from the town centre.

Audrey Whitney, the FSB's branch chairman, said: 'There's nothing in Bognor you can't get at Tesco. What you can get there is free parking. That is where people go. If you put up parking fees, that's what you are forcing people to do.'

Trains, Boats and Planes model shop owner Rupert Harper stated rises could cause lasting damage to the town centre traders. 'If the High Street is seen as an unattractive place to shop, people will choose to go out of town. I am the only model shop out of four in the area where customers have to pay to park,' he said. Nick Stuart-Nicolson, the chamber's president and chairman, said: 'Inflated car parking charges will be a very clear deterrent to those who would choose to shop in Bognor.'

Business owner Jim Brooks said the district council could overcome the need for more increases by being run more efficiently and putting incentives in place to attract motorists to under-used car parks. Action needed to be taken before it was too late.

Arun wants to put up charges by up to 12 per cent for parking in the Fitzleet multi-storey car park. Stays of up to two hours are intended to go up from 40p to 45p for daily visits.

Stays of two hours-plus will rise from 50p to 55p, by 15p to 1.65 for up to three hours and by 20p to 2.20 for up to four hours. Longer stays attract a same again fee of 5,

Town centre workers who buy an annual permit will be paying 90 compared to the current 82.

Charges in the Hothamton and Regis Centre car parks are likely to rise by about 9per cent. The dearest of the range of time limits of up to four hours could go increase by 20p to 2.60. The London Road and Lyon Street car parks will see charges go up by 7per cent, or 20p. Every length of stay will cost more under the proposals. All three bands of charging in the Gloucester Road, Hotham Park and Rock Garden car parks and Felpham's Culver Road will rise by 5pc if the increases are approved.

l Arun District Council has re-advertised the proposed rise '“ 40p to 45p '“ for shortest stays in the Fitzleet multi-storey car park from April 1 after its original information wrongly referred to the charge increasing from 50p to 55p. The mistake was spotted by an Observer reader.