New rural parking charges '˜cheaper than chips'

New rural car parking charges due to be brought in from next April were described as 'cheaper than chips'

New charges in South Downs rural car parks are '˜cheaper than chips', the council's leader has said.

Horsham District Council is proposing to introduce new charges including £12 a year discs for short stays, pay and display machines, and £130 a year season tickets from Monday to Saturday as it looks to cover the £315,000 annual cost of running the car parks.

More than 800 people have signed a petition opposing the changes, but HDC’s cabinet agreed to implement them from April 2017 at a meeting last Thursday (November 24).

Cabinet members argued that the £12 a year discs worked out at around 25p a week, while pay and display machines would charge users 75p for up to an hour’s stay.

Jonathan Chowen (Con, Cowfold, Shermanbury and West Grinstead), HDC’s cabinet member for leisure and culture, said the current arrangements were a ‘hotchpotch’, while there was no investment or enforcement because the car parks were not generating an income stream.

He added: “It’s as cheap as chips and that’s the real deal for everybody.”

Ray Dawe (Con, Chantry), leader of the council, replied: “I do not think you will get many chips for 25p.

“It’s 25p a week, that is the amount of money we are talking about to bring these measures in. It’s incredibly cheap.”

He added: “I think it’s cheaper than chips actually.”

Gordon Lindsay (Con, Billingshurst and Shipley), cabinet member for the local economy, said: “The costs and price of this daily is a very small amount of money.”

Mike Morgan (Ind, Henfield) felt it was important they had standardised charges if the proposals went ahead, as if Steyning had free parking shoppers might go there instead of Henfield.

Michael Willett (Con, Steyning) said he was against Steyning Parish Council taking on responsibility for car parks in the town and putting the money on to the parish precept to maintain free parking.