HARDWORKING traders fear shoppers will stay away from Andover town centre in their droves when car parking fees rocket by 11 per cent this spring.

Test Valley Borough Council has confirmed it will increase the charges in all of its car parks across the borough from April 1.

It means parking for an hour will rise more than 11 per cent, from 90p to £1, with 30 minutes costing 50p, also up 11 per cent. Parking for more than five hours in a short or medium stay car park will increase from £5.50 to £5.90.

While TVBC has called the rises “minor” and said half of drivers were already putting £1 in machines to park for an hour anyway, businesses are unconvinced.

Ron Wood, of A Cut Above on Bridge Street, said: “TVBC will do whatever they want with no consideration to the public or businesses in the town.

“I thought supposedly their intention was to help attract trade to the town, but obviously this will have the opposite affect.

“One day they might realise that this town only exists because of the shopkeepers taking the risk to trade here, so we should at least be consulted prior to these decisions.”

Dave Stanbridge, of Tip Top Balloons and Thorntons on Union Street, said: “I’m not happy with it.

“The dearer the parking the more it will put people off. It’s noticeable that between 4pm and 5pm when parking is free the town centre gets busier, so that tells us something. It makes sense to reduce or abolish car parking fees.”

Nigel Terry, from Mail Boxes Etc in George Yard, called it a “sign of the times” but said parking charges were a “fact of life”.

He added: “You have to pay for parking wherever you go. I’m more concerned with changing the system of how you pay, I think you should pay when you leave a car park in order to encourage people to stay longer.”

Shopper and mum-of-two Anna Reid, from Stockbridge, said the increases would make her think twice about visiting Andover town centre. She said: “I don’t like paying to park at the best of times so this just puts me off even more. No wonder online shopping is increasing year after year if this is how councils treat us, I feel sorry for the town centre retailers.

“People aren’t getting pay rises of 11 per cent, so it’s disproportionate.”

Town centre manager Chris Gregory said: “Increases in parking charges are very rarely welcomed by businesses or shoppers and so I can understand the reaction.

“One very good piece of news is that the Chantry Centre Car Park now operates a pay on exit system, which is something businesses and the Town Centre Partnership have been pushing for.”

TVBC planning policy and transport portfolio holder, Councillor Martin Hatley, said: “Following a four year freeze, the council has taken the decision to introduce some minor increases to its car parking charges with effect from 1 April 2016.

“When reviewing the parking charges, we found that almost half of people paying to park for one hour were already putting in £1 instead of 90 pence. We took this into account when setting the new charges as we wanted to make it easier for people to pay the correct amount for their stay where possible.

“The revised charges will continue to be favourable when compared with neighbouring authorities, and nationally with other authorities with a similar retail offer. This ensures that parking in Test Valley continues to be, in general, the cheapest in the local area. We will also continue to offer free parking after 4pm and on Sundays and bank holidays.

“All car parking income is used to cover the cost of management, patrolling and maintenance of both the council’s off-street pay and display car parks and on-street parking restrictions. And in addition, if necessary, acquiring extra land for car parking, for example, the extra public parking that has been created at the Former Andover Magistrates’ Court and at Romsey Rapids.”

The Advertiser revealed last week that TVBC collected more than £55,000 last year through its machines not giving change. It also comes as car parking charges at Andover train station are set to rise. A new two-deck car park is currently being built, with South West Trains admitting charges on the new site are “likely” to be higher.

What do you think? Email mike.sims@andoveradvertiser.co.uk