Backlash over evening car parking fee plan

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Readers have hit back at Chichester District Council cabinet after the committee voted to approve a one year trial of evening car parking charges near entertainment venues in the city.

Council car parks by Chichester Festival Theatre and the cinema in New Park Road would be charged at 70p per hour between 6-8pm, raising an estimated £98,500 in council funds.

Councillors agreed that visitors had the option of other car parks and disabled parking would remain free.

But chairman of the New Park Community and Arts Association Michael Foyle said the charges would make the centre less competitive for the small businesses that use its facilities.

“We’ll have to see what happens to our evening users and we strongly suspect it will diminish,” he said.

Centre development manager Allison McDonald-Hughes said more than 30 groups would be ‘adversely affected’.

She said: “Several of these groups provide support services to disadvantaged, vulnerable residents and families, many of whom have limited income.”