Anger over increase to parking charges

Charges at council-run car parks in Horsham are to go up by between 10 and 15 per cent.

The announcement has been met with anger from many County Times readers.

Some fear that charging people more to park in Horsham town centre will sound a death knell for local shops.

They say people will be put off driving into the town and will turn more often to online shopping.

The increases will come into effect from June 1.

A stay of between two to three hours at Swan Walk will go up from £3.60 to £4 and a stay of up to eight hours will go up from £12 to £13.20.

At Piries Place, charges for between two and three hours will go up from £4.20 to £4.80 and an eight-hour stay will rise from £14 to £16.10.

The minimum charge for parking at Piries will go up to £3.20 for two hours.

A stay of two to three hours at The Forum car park will go up from £2.70 to £3 with an eight-hour stay rising from £9 to £10.10.

Sunday charges at all town centre car parks will go up from £1.50 to £1.70.

Parking charges in Billingshurst and at Southwater Country Park will also go up from June 1.

The cost of annual parking discs will go up from July 1, along with season tickets.

Quarterly season tickets at Swan Walk and Piries Place will rise from £331.25 to £364.40.

And quarterly season tickets at The Forum will go up from £238.75 to £262.60.

Many readers shared their views on the West Sussex County Times’ Facebook page.

Stuart Gumm said: “What a shocker ... easy target motorists once again. Not just affecting shoppers, what about people that work in the centre of Horsham and have to drive in? Things are already tough enough. Public transport is unreliable and expensive.”

Martin N Penfold queried: “How exactly do they justify these increases? Shops in the town centre are closing more, the whole town centre is either ‘Coffee or Eat’.”

Maureen Magee added: “Horsham is like a ghost town with loads of shops closed, certainly not worth an increase in car park fees now. In fact it would be better to reduce fees.”

Pete Edwards suggested: “Why don’t they think like Wiltshire. I parked there recently, went to pay for parking and found the first two hours were free to help the shops. Simple but effective.”

Mark Holtman added: “Well sadly an increase in parking charges makes one turn to Amazon.”