BUSINESS leaders in Trowbridge want a complete U-turn on proposals to increase parking charges as town car parks have an average occupancy rate of 12.9 per cent.

Freedom of Information figures, for January 2018, revealed that none of the six Wiltshire Council run car parks in Trowbridge are ever more than 20 per cent full and some are as low as 3.3 per cent.

Davies & Davies branch manager Mark Ledbury and other Trowbridge Chamber members say that the authority’s plans to hike up season ticket prices and to launch parking charges on Sundays and bank holidays will hurt the town.

“Our staff and customers are forced out of our town car parks and into nearby unrestricted residential streets to park for the working day,” said Mr Ledbury.

“Simply because the cost of a days parking is cripplingly expensive on average pay for most people.

“It is something of an irony that the people getting to vote on this matter don’t have to worry about parking themselves.

“We propose instead that the council should in fact vote to reduce car parking charges in all of the town car parks, specifically to encourage all day use for working people and introduce more affordable and useful time increments to facilitate and encourage short term parking as well.”

The FOI request was submitted by the Wiltshire Federation of Small Businesses.

Mr Ledbury added: “Sainsbury’s, ASDA and Tesco car parks are probably operating at 98 per cent capacity during the working day.

“It would be naive to think all the cars belong to shoppers at each store. These car parks are free for a couple of hours and are a saving grace to our other local businesses. We should be supported by our council, not cap in hand to our supermarkets.

“Empty public owned car parks do nothing to promote a vibrant, successful commercial district. They force parking into residential streets and discourage commercial investment.

“They also reduce revenue into council coffers which is the opposite of the reasoning behind these proposals.”

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said: "We recognise the vital role that parking plays in supporting the local community and we carefully consider any amendments before they are introduced.

“Our proposals in the publicised Traffic Regulations followed a full public consultation, which took place last year.  The outcome of that consultation was that consultees support a number of parking arrangements changes.  

“With regard to off street parking and season tickets, the preference was to allow funding to support the maintenance of parking facilities and other vital services such as local buses.

“The Traffic Regulation process does not allow the proposed rates to be altered, only accepted or rejected.  The consultation findings last year will not prohibit the rejection of the current proposed charges, but it must be noted this will affect the funding identified for services.

“The comments regarding the proposed charges have been captured and will be considered before any decision is made on the acceptance or rejection of the proposals.”