A HIKE in fees in West Devon?s town centre car parks this week came under fire from furious Tavistock traders. West Devon councillors have set increases ranging from 20% to 40%. It means the hourly parking charge will leap from 80p to £1. And motorists who hold season tickets in the town centre car parks face a massive increase, from £235 per annum to £650. Councillors say the move has been forced on them because of a shortfall in the borough?s budget due to extra service demands and a less than adequate settlement from central government. In an attempt to try to ease the financial burden on motorists, the cash-strapped council is to introduce a system of smartcards, which drivers can buy and use in ticket machines to obtain discounted tickets. But traders are incensed by the the proposals. Alan Feakins, Somerfield manager who organised a petition against a 20p per hour increase last year, said: ?Car parking charges have more than doubled in the four years I have been store manager here. ?It?s unreasonable to expect people to pay £1 for an hour. It?s going to drive customers away to out of town shopping centres ? is that really the aim of our elected councillors?? Somerfield currently refunds the one-hour ticket fee to customers spending £10 in the store. Mr Feakins said the policy would now go under serious review. ?We don?t have to give money back, we choose to, but to give back £1 on £10 spent, at this sort of level you have to review whether it?s viable ? I think the rise is unfair and unjust.? Guy Talbot, spokesman for Tavistock Chamber of Commerce, said members were ?dismayed? at the increases, which for an hour?s parking, made Plymouth a cheaper place and would be double the price charged in Launceston. He said: ?Members are very concerned at the potential loss of trade. ?Many of the independent traders in this town are not making large profits and a relatively small drop in turnover would have a catastrophic effect on their businesses.? Ken Shield, of the Fireplace and Stove Centre, said: ?It?s totally unbelievable. Local traders are already struggling, this will be just another nail in the coffin. We don?t need smartcards ? we need smart councillors.? Eddie Carruthers, pannier market reeve, said: ?Any increase in parking fees will affect trade ? and traffic movements. There?s no two ways about it.? Mary Towl, of Towl?s in Brook Street, said: ?It?s ridiculous, they really are going to drive people out of town ? it?s going to kill the little shops.? Cllr Mandy Govier, unable to attend the borough?s meeting due to ill health, said West Devon was using the motorist as a ?stealth tax? and claimed the move was short-sighted. At last week?s policy committee meeting Cllr Ted Sherrell objected vigorously to the ?draconian? fee hike: ?Over recent years we have raised charges very considerably, certainly massively above inflation, and caused local people, visitors and businesses to complain bitterly. ?Such charges have in the past couple of years caused considerable increases in on-street parking, often to the detriment of road safety.? Cllr Sherrell said the increases were ?beyond all fairness? and implored the commitee to reconsider. But councillors, despite regretting the move, agreed the increase, and the use of smartcards. These cost the borough £1.52 each and will be made available to drivers for £1.50, at a minimum rate of £20. Smartcard holders will be entitled to a 20% reduction on the new rates at all borough-owned car parks. The cards will be available from the borough offices. In town centre car parks, half an hour rises from 40p to 50p, but the biggest rises are for four hour or all-day stays, which shoot up by 40% to £3.50 and £7 respectively. Out-of-town car park fees rise from 80p for two hours to £1, rural car parking fees by between 10p per hour for shorter stays, 50p to 80p for longer stays. Anyone overstaying their allotted time faces a penalty increase from £60 to £70. Officers estimate the increase in season tickets will garner extra income of around £29,000, while increased parking fees will boost the coffers by £82,000. The increases are to take effect from April 12.
