MOTORISTS visiting Odiham, Hook and Hartley Wintney may find themselves paying more to park after Hart District Council agreed to increase charges.

The price-hikes are part of the new budget for 2008/09 approved by the full council.

While the 70p fee for a stay of up to one hour will remain the same, the charge for staying up to two hours will increase from £1.10 to £1.40 - a rise of 26.8 per cent.

The charge for staying up to three hours will increase by five per cent, from £2 to £2.10.

The district council agreed to lower the charge for staying up to four hours, from £3 to £2.80, while the £3.50 for staying longer then four hours will stay the same.

The changes include a 5p reduction in the cost of a parking ticket to stay for up to 30 minutes, from 40p to 35p.

Penalty charge notices will also increase, from £60 to £70 - a 16.6 per cent increase. The discounted charge, if a bill is paid within 14 days, will rise from £30 to £35.

The charges will affect the car parks in Deer Park View and Church Street in Odiham, the car park in Reading Road, Hook, and the car park in Chapel Row, in Hartley Wintney.

Councillor Dorothy Harvey, chairman of Hartley Wintney Parish Council, said the free parking on the High Street caters for most shoppers in the village.

But she added: "I think people should be encouraged to come and I do not think they should be expected to pay a high parking fee.

"The danger is that people will go to bigger shopping centres with cheaper parking."

Peter Fountain, Odiham town manager, said: "This does not help us to attract people. We have already closed the public conveniences and it does not help the promotion of the community."

Cllr Ken Crookes, who represents Odiham on Hart council, said: "Overall, the income from car parking charges is going to go up by 60 per cent, if you look at the projected income from car parking charges and the figures for projected use.

"Some people would call that stealth tax."