Plans for price increase at car parks owned by Chichester District Council have been recommended for approval

During a meeting of the cabinet on Tuesday (January 9), members discussed the results of a consultation into proposals for a 6.7 per cent increase on Pay & Display tariffs and a 6.5 per cent increase on the price of season tickets.

That would see the cost of parking for up to three hours in central Chichester, at Little London or Baffins Lane, rise from £6.60 to £7.

In short-stay car parks such as Orchard Street and St Cyriacs the cost would rise from £5.20 to £5.50.

Parking for up to 10 hours at long-stay car parks such as Cattle Market and Northgate, would rise from £7.90 to £8.40.

Other proposed changes would see charges introduced in rural car parks on Sundays, and Sunday tariffs in city centre long-stay car parks charged at the Monday to Saturday rate.

And drivers would be charged for parking in short-stay car parks up to 8pm rather than the current 6pm – though there would be no change at Cattle Market, Basin Road and the Avenue de Chartres car parks.

Only five people responded to the consultation.

One said: “Chichester has become a really poor shopping centre, with multiple closed shops, many closed for a long time.

“The city needs all the help it can get to restore its former vitality and constant increases in parking charges are a real deterrent to this.

“The proposal to extend charges to the evening will not only adversely impact pubs and restaurants in the city, but also penalise grossly unfairly visitors to residents in the city centre.”

Harsha Desai, cabinet member for growth & place, said: “This has been a very emotive subject, especially during the consultation period.

“But going forward I just think we need to make things simpler and easier for everyone who uses our car parks.”

The cabinet’s recommendation will be put to the next meeting of the full council and, if approved, the proposed changes would come into effect on April 1.