A PLEA to retain ?already expensive? car parking fees in West Devon has fallen on deaf ears as borough councillors agreed last week to increase charges for the second time in ten months. All parking fees ending with 5p are set to be rounded up to eliminate operational problems with the small coins jamming up the machines ? a move which will result in an extra £11,000 income. In town centre car parks in Okehampton and Tavistock the 30-minute charge will increase to 50p and cars parking for up to one hour will be charged 90p ? 30p more than car parks in North Cornwall and Torridge. Rural car parks like Hatherleigh and Chagford are expected to rise to 30p and 60p for a 30-minute and one-hour stay respectively, but alternative suggestions put forward by Chagford could be discussed again in March. All rises will take effect from June 1. Letters from Okehampton Chamber of Trade, Chagford Business Association, Hatherleigh Area Business Forum and Tavistock Chamber of Commerce were sent to the council?s environment and community committee, all opposing the proposed increases. Chairman of Okehampton Chamber of Trade Richard Appleby said the chamber?s main concern was to get as many people as possible in the car parks: ?Putting up the charges is not going to fill the car parks and in turn will not help our local businesses.? Charles Chalcraft, a member of Hatherleigh Business Association said in his town there were 22 retail outlets, three of which were for sale, two were empty and one had changed from the town café to residential. ?Several of the other retailers are just hanging in there or seeking additional income from elsewhere,? he said. ?The direct results of the car parking charges are a reduction in the time local people spend in our shops and car parking problems.? Mr Chalcraft said since charges had been introduced at Hatherleigh, people parked on the street because they were unwilling to pay, causing hold-ups and access problems in the town. ?We would prefer it if there were no charges at all but in the past the council has not listened to local opinion,? said Mr Chalcraft. Members were asked to choose one of three options: keep the status quo, increase the tariffs by inflation or round up all the tariffs ending with 5p. Ian Bailey from Okehampton Chamber of Trade said at least the third option meant there would be no increase for the two-hour stay which was the average duration for a business appointment or town centre shopping. He said he hoped the additional revenue would be put against the Business Rate. August 2005 saw the last hike in parking fees although the proposed £1 hourly fee was reduced to 85p ? a 5p increase ? after a public outcry. Facilities contracts manager Cathy Aubertin said in recognition of the higher increases in previous years certain fees were introduced which ended in a 5p figure. ?Whilst this was done to reduce the increase to the car park user it has been noted by parking staff that the number of coin jams occurring in pay and display machines have increased,? she said. ?This appears to be because 5p coins become easily jammed by turning sideways within the coin slot.? The recommendation to round up the charges will be made to the council?s strategy and resources committee.
