The EMOTIVE issue of Cornwall Council’s car parking tariff increases certainly isn’t going to go away any time soon judging from an impassioned plea by an “enraged” councillor for the council to do something about the effect of the rises which are “crucifying” communities in north east Cornwall.

Cllr Andrew Long, who represents Callington – where car park use is the worst in the Duchy since the price hikes were introduced on May 31 – told a Cornwall Council meeting last week that “you’re killing our town”.

The local authority’s economic scrutiny committee was discussing a review of the new parking structures and tariffs, which data shows has seen an increase in use in around two-thirds of the council’s 117 car parks between June and September this year compared to the same period in 2022.

However, use has declined noticeably in Callington, among other towns and villages in Cornwall. Callington is particularly badly hit as the first hour was previously free in a deal between Co-op and B&M but visitors and residents now have to pay £1 for the first hour, which businesses say correlates with a drastic drop in footfall.

Cllr Long said: “I’m enraged about this, absolutely enraged. You’re killing our town. Stone dead. We’ve lost two businesses already. There’s more following suit because Cornwall Council have failed to understand one size does not fit all.”

Directing his ire at council officers Zoe Hall, strategic parking manager, and Vicky Fraser, service director for environment and connectivity, he added: “You say you want to wait until you have 12 months’ figures. We won’t have a town centre at the end of 12 months if you carry on in the way you’re going at the moment. You won’t have the income because people won’t be going there because there won’t be any shops. That is what Cornwall Council’s decision has done to my town.”

He said people living in that part of Cornwall don’t have satisfactory bus services and use of cars “isn’t a luxury it’s a necessity. We are now crucifying them for coming to their nearest town to get vital supplies.Please, please, please, I urge you, do something about this now, don’t wait until May next year because you will continue to see the decrease in figures.” He added that businesses in dire straits are pointing fingers at the council. “These people are losing their livelihoods.”

The council’s portfolio holder for economy Cllr Louis Gardner (Newquay Central & Pentire, Conservative) intimated that Callington hadn’t helped itself: “We can’t blame all the woes of a town centre on town centre parking. Cornwall Council has put almost £3m into town vitality. Callington only applied for £17,440 from the Town Vitality Fund yet was entitled to £50,000.” Officers pointed out that parking is now free in Callington in the evenings until April. A residents’ parking scheme with 50% discount is being brought in next year, which officers said could help people in Callington and other areas.