‘Ridiculous’ parking charge increases in a coastal Kent town have prompted complaints from residents and a petition with more than a thousand signatures.
Canterbury City Council increased the day rate, which is charged between 9am and 6pm, for School Lane car park in Herne Bay from £2.20 to £15 on 1 April.
The hike of nearly 600% was reportedly believed by some residents to be an April Fool’s prank.
The hourly fee was also increased to £1.90, while car park users were previously charged 60p for 30 minutes and £1.20 for two hours.
Herne and Broomfield Parish Council branded the hike 'ridiculous' and launched a petition, which now has 1,284 signatures, so Canterbury would ‘realise the sense of bad feeling’.
The parish council said the price hike was affecting both residents and visitors, including those wishing to use the local pubs, shops, dentist and church.
Canterbury’s cabinet member for transport, Alex Ricketts, said School Lane was one of the cheapest car parks in the district.
He said all parking charges were reviewed annually, and the council would consider the impact of the increase in the autumn.
