FREE parking on a Sunday will help to keep High Streets alive, but hikes in season tickets prices could force people out of jobs, according to workers reacting to the new parking changes.

Following public campaigning, Wiltshire Council will not to enforce an unpopular Sunday parking charge on its car parks across the county, a decision that has been widely praised by the community.

£8m of investment has also been unveiled including £7.4m from central government and £0.6m from the council to address potholes, improve white lining, weed removal, kerb and pavement improvements, verges and improved road signs.

A spokesman for Chippenham BID said: “We hope that this gives shoppers an added incentive to shop local and support local businesses, especially as we head towards Christmas.”

Despite going out to public consultation, no public debate about the car parking fees has been held by Wiltshire Council and concerns have already been raised that Sunday charges could be introduced in the future.

Reacting to the drop in car parking charges on a Sunday, Bob Holman of the Marlborough High Street Retailers Association said: “I have some very pleased staff. The prices would not have stopped visitors as they always go to the popular places but it is the staff who were really concerned. I don’t think it has put off the inevitable but it is always good for it to be pushed back. The season ticket increases are horrible and it goes against what people wanted in the consultation. Wiltshire Council need to listen to people when they do consultations, otherwise they are just asking for people’s opinions and then doing whatever they had planned anyway.”

Devizes mayor Andy Geddes said: “The decision is a victory for common sense but could have been avoided if they had just listened to the consultation. We still have concerns about the high season tickets which will hit the lowest paid staff working in the high street.”

Cabinet member for highways, Cllr Bridget Wayman, said: “We have listened to our local communities and businesses. We know that the local environment matters to our communities and this programme will make those visible improvements that we all care about.”

Chippenham MP Michelle Donelan added: “Not only have they halted the introduction of Sunday and bank holiday charges as well as phasing in the permit charges but also they are utilising the money dedicated in the budget to support the High Street in our local market towns with £8 million.”

Although Sunday charges will be dropped, season ticket, residents permit and car park charges will still all increase.

Residents going to renew their season tickets have expressed their shock at the price hikes that see up to a £300 increase for some yearly passes. In Chippenham, Bath Road passes will increase from £430 to £730 and will increase further to £1010 next November. In Burnham Road Car Park in Malmesbury, prices will rise from £260, to £360 and then £540 in November 2019. In main car parks in Marlborough including George Lane, Hyde Lane, and Kennet Place prices will increase from £391 to £600 and then to £800 from next November.

Marlborough resident Lynda Lester’s £33 monthly season ticket has increased to £50. She said: “I work part time and I am now going to have to quit my job in the High Street and look for something outside of the town. I have tried parking on the residential estates around Marlborough but that is really stressful. I’ve often thought the council should actually give a discount to people that are employed in the town. We all provide a service to the town and this increase is outrageous.” David Gearing lives in Park Lane, Chippenham and said: “Shop and office workers are being hammered because of woeful and inadequate public transport to enable them to get to work reliably, and that will not improve. It is the people who have no choice but to use their cars to come into the town to work here that will be hit by these increases. I don’t remember Wiltshire council publicising anywhere about these increases and I wander how many people really know that this is about to happen.”

Joy all over as unpopular Sunday charges are dropped