West Dorset car park charges frozen again (From Thisisdorset)

West Dorset car park charges frozen again

6:24pm Tuesday 7th February 2012 in News

COUNCILLORS have agreed a freeze on short stay parking charges in West Dorset for the seventh year in a row.

Members of West Dorset District Council's executive committee voted to freeze all charges in its car parks as well as limit the existing shoppers permit to one use a day and implement a new scratch card system for business users.

The changes to the council's shoppers permits, which allow local people to park for up to two hours in local car parks, were introduced after reports of a small number of people abusing the system.

In response to requests by businesses, the new scratch card systems will also be introduced and feature booklets of 20 cards on offer for £20, with each card allowing users to park for six 20 minute periods.

The charge would equate to 17p for a 20 minute stay as opposed to a 40p charge for an equivalent stay using car park ticket machines.

Council leader Robert Gould said: “It's really encouraging, freezing our short stay charges for a seventh successive year and freezing all our charges is something we can be proud of and pleased with.”

The council's parking champion Councillor Richard Jungius added: “We are using car parking not as a means of raising money but as a means of trying to encourage business and people locally to do business in our towns.”