Poole Council Car Park Charge Increase.

12.00.00pm GMT Fri 9th Jan 2009

News that Poole Council is increasing town centre car park charges has caused alarm amongst retailers and shop owners. Liberal Democrat councillors opposed the increased charges.

In the past year there has been a seven per cent decrease in the number of people visiting the town centre and a 10.7 per cent decrease in the number of occupied retail units. In an already poor economic climate local shop owners are now concerned that this will make things worse.

Annette Brooke, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole said: "This price rise is very ill thought out. We should be trying to encourage people into Poole rather than putting them off.

"Poole already lacks the big name shops of Bournemouth and complexes such as Castle Point, where parking is free. This short sighted decision will only make things harder for the economy in Poole."