Parking fee rise of 300 per cent vetoed in Bognor

Councillors voted to drop the excessive increases and replace them with more modest increases but which are still well above inflation.

The move by Arun District Council’s environmental services and community development working group reverses proposals from its senior cabinet members. The cabinet will now be asked to approve the suggested prices from the working group.

Strong opposition was raised to the largest of the proposed rises in Culver Road and Rock Gardens.

Current fees of £1 for stays of up to an hour, £4 for up to four hours and £6 for longer were due to be replaced from April with a more complicated series of fees.

Stays of up to an hour would have stayed unchanged, those for up to two hours would be £3 and for longer would have ranged from £7 in March-June and September-October and £10 in July and August to mean stays between two and four hours would have faced a rise from £3 to £10 in mid-summer.

They have been replaced with freezes for stays up to four hours and an increase from £6 to £7 for longer visits.

Felpham councillor Paul English told the working group: “On careful consideration, I find that the jump from £3 to £10 would be totally detrimental to the wellbeing of residents and businesses.

“I am very concerned about the damage that could be done, especially in Felpham.”

For Gloucester Road, current charges up to two hours would have stayed the same but longer visits would have also gone up to £7/£10 depending on the month. These are also now set to go up from £6 to £7.

Charges at other sites, like London Road in Bognor with its longest stay doubling from £1.50 to £3, will also rise if the cabinet approves them.

Arun officer Calvin Baylis said the proposed charges were in line with other towns.