Shopkeepers hit at charge rises

Free Sunday parking in the Dudley borough could be scrapped and other car park charges increased - raising an extra £100,000 for council coffers.

The authority is also planning to close the barriers on its staff car parks at weekends to stop shoppers from using them. The move came under fire today from shopkeepers who fear it will hit trade.

The prices were last put up by the authority in May 2007 and the majority of the proposed increases relate to all-day parking charges.

The biggest rise would be in Sedgley where the all-day fee would increase from £1.30 to £2.50. The one-hour fee will remain at 40p but the two-hour charge will increase from 70p to 80p and the three-hour charge from £1 to £1.20.

In Dudley, Stourbridge, Halesowen and Brierley Hill, the all-day charge will rise from £2.30 to £2.50.

The one-hour, two-hour and three-hour charges remain at 50p, £1 and £1.50 respectively. In Kingswinford the all-day fee would also increase from £2.30 to £2.50 while charges for one, two and three hours will stay at 40p, 80p and £1.20.

At Birmingham Street car park in Stourbridge all-day charge increases are planned from £1.50 to £2.50.

The evening tariff remains unaltered at 80p at all sites and the above charges will also apply on Sundays. The proposals will go before the full council at a meeting on March 2.

Trader Alan Caswell, who runs the Arcade Toyshop in Dudley, has criticised the proposals, saying he was worried people would turn their back on the town.

Stacey Holland, aged 22, who works at Harpers Flower Shop in the Fountain precinct, said: "Charging more for parking will definitely be bad for Dudley."

Cabinet member Councillor Angus Adams denied it was a "money-generating" exercise. He said: "We just want to bring the charges in line across the borough and in line with other authorities in the area."

"We also want to encourage responsible parking."