Businesses say parking fee rise causing trade dip

High Street businesses in a Kent town said they have been hit with an immediate drop-off in trade following parking charge rises.

Traders on Chatham High Street blame Medway Council tarriff increases - from £2.40 to £2.90 for one hour and £2.90 to £3.50 for two hours - for a fall in customers, which they say began as soon as the new charges came in on 1 May.

Concerns were raised before the change despite the authority also reducing the cost of a 30-minute stay to £1, which it said would help customers.

A council spokesperson said the parking charge increases were "in response to well-publicised financial pressures affecting local authorities around the country".

Babs Landa, 51, who runs shop Instyle, said: "It's impacted us massively. The footfall has gone down.

"A lot of customers are coming into the shop saying, 'we're not going to come in to Chatham anymore due to these high prices'.

"They can go other places, like Hempstead Valley, Bluewater, which have free parking."

Several owners cited the increased charges among several issues they said were costing them business, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Others included a rise in anti-social behaviour and limited public transport connections.

A petition outlining problems the businesses face has been signed by 48 businesses and sent to Medway Council.

A council spokesperson said: "The revised parking charges were introduced after careful consideration and in response to well-publicised financial pressures affecting local authorities around the country.

"The reduction in the price of half-hour parking was an innovative step, introduced in response to concerns to residents and businesses, and we are still assessing the impact of this change.

"As with many aspects of council business, parking charges remain under review and will be assessed again before the next budget."

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