GAZETTE & HERALD: Increased car parking charges could drive businesses and shoppers out of Chippenham and put the brakes on the town's vitality and viability, according to the town's Chamber of Commerce.

Members of the chamber delivered the hard-hitting message to Coun Ross Henning, chairman of North Wiltshire District Council's car parking working party at a meeting last week.

The chamber of commerce represents the interests of the business community in Chippenham and president Martin Short warned any increase in parking fees would have a dire effect on the town's prosperity.

"Any increase will have an adverse effect on businesses in the town and may result in some smaller businesses deciding to cease trading," he said.

"It is clear that some businesses are finely balanced in terms of profit and loss in the present economic climate."

He said any increase would deter shoppers from coming to town and add to costs payable by employers or employees for long term car parking.

"Some businesses will consider moving out of Chippenham if you implement the proposed increases in car parking charges," he told Coun Henning.

"One company in the Causeway has said any increase in parking charges makes Chippenham a less attractive place for people to work."

The new parking fee proposals were approved at a meeting of the district council in December and then taken out for consultation.

The radical new vision for North Wiltshire car parks includes charging where it is currently free and imposing large hikes in parking fees and fines.

The district council will also recruit four new car park attendants to make sure restrictions are strictly enforced and impose fines on ticket dodgers.

The new regime could raise £500,000 for the district council. While car parks in Chippenham have been charged for many years, other district council car parks are free.

Enforcement has not been strict and consequently the working group found that many town centre shoppers' car parks were clogged up with people parking all day. Many of the new charging systems will include the free one-hour parking, which currently operates in Borough Parade in Chippenham, but after the first hour charges will be imposed.

But members of Chippenham Chamber of Commerce canvassed the views of members and discovered many were alarmed by the proposals.

Mr Short said businesses had reported customers and clients already found the town difficult and expensive to access.

He feared people would park on residential streets and deter new businesses from moving to the town. He suggested workers commuting into Chippenham could face paying £1,000 a year to park.

But after the meeting Coun Henning accused the chamber of scaremongering.

"Parking charges were introduced to Chippenham about ten years ago, and it is a vibrant place that is moving forward. It is probably the centre of north Wiltshire and really on the up. I know some firms have moved out but others have been moving in," he said.

However he said the meeting went well and promised to raise the chamber's concerns with the car parking working party this week.

Coun Henning said: "Sometimes there is a bit of a knee jerk reaction and scaremongering going on."

The chamber made a series of requests, which included the provision of extra car parking space before the increases were brought in and another look at park and ride schemes for employees.