Reduced £1 per hour parking prices permanent

WH 010414 High Street Multi-Storey car park, Worthing. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-140104-173350001

Charges of £1 per hour have been trialled at the High Street, Grafton and Buckingham Road car parks over the past six months in a ‘use it or lose it’ pledge.

At the Joint Strategic Committee meeting on Tuesday night, councillors voted unanimously to make the charges permanent.

Worthing Borough Council leader Paul Yallop said: “It was a use it or lose it campaign and it worked as a lot of people have done so and are staying for longer.

“It was a really good marketing campaign, particularly on social media and I think that has delivered part of the result.”

Overall weekly usage of the car parks has increased by 13 per cent in the first five months, with a gradual increase in usage of Grafton and Buckingham Road sites.

Income was down four per cent on the previous year but the revenues no longer go to parking firm NCP.

Cabinet member for environment Clive Roberts added he was ‘delighted’ with the success.