ALMOST 90 per cent of Gazette readers believe that parking charges should not be introduced to Eastrop Park.

The borough council is holding a consultation on the introduction of parking charges at Eastrop, which would see visitors having to pay £8 to stay the day.

The proposed charges were reduced from £12.80 after more than 130 people objected.

Read more: public reacts with anger to Eastrop parking charges 

However, a Gazette poll reveals that most people are not happy with the new lower rate either.

More than 500 people voted in the poll and 89 per cent said they do not think parking charges should be introduced to Eastrop.

Just 11 per cent believe parking charges should be introduced.

The consultation on the proposals closes at the end of this week.

If approved, it would see charges introduced to the car parks, resulting in visitors having to pay £1 for up to two hours; £2 for up to four hours; £4 for up to six hours; £7 for up to eight hours; and £8 for more than eight hours.

Evening charges would be £2 from between 7pm and 8am.

One park user who is not happy with the proposals is Terry Weeks, from Basingstoke, who said: “I most strongly object to this proposal and believe it should be abandoned.

“The park has always been a community area for people to meet, enjoy and exercise and as such should remain a facility to be enjoyed by all without imposing any charges.

“The cost and maintenance of a charging facility would be considerable and eat up much of the money collected.”

Councillor Hayley Eachus, cabinet member for recycling, waste, and regulatory services, said the funds raised from the charges will go towards maintaining and improving the park.

A report on the matter said that the council is facing a £4.3 million budget gap by 2024/25, which has been put “under further pressure as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic”.

Cllr Eachus added: “The parking at Eastrop Park is currently free and is well used by shoppers and people visiting Basing View. Introducing car parking charges at the site will strike a fair balance for those visiting the park and for those who park at the site and visit the town centre.

“The council agreed to introduce parking charges as part of the 2021/2022 budget proposals. In line with a Road Traffic Regulation Order, a statutory consultation on the proposed tariff was held in June 2021. The council received 132 objections to this proposed tariff, which was in line with other town centre car parks.

“We have carefully considered the representations we received during the first period of consultation in June 2021 and as a result of that feedback have made substantial changes to the proposed tariffs, which respond positively to these comments.

“Therefore, the council is running this second consultation, which closes on Sunday 30 January 2022, to ensure that residents can give their views on the revised proposed tariffs. Residents can find out more about the proposals and how to submit a response on the council’s website here: https://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/ptro.”

Comments on the revised order must be sent to engineering@basingstoke.gov.uk by Sunday January 30, 2022.

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