SALTASH Town Council has expressed its concerns about proposed changes to the parking tariffs in the Belle Vue and Alexander car parks, which are owned by Cornwall Council.

It is proposed that the present 50p charge for one hour’s parking should be raised by 10p from 50p to 60p. The current £1.60 charge for two hours will continue and three hours would be £2.90 instead of £3.20 – a reduction of 30p.

Bob Austin, Cornwall councillor for Saltash West, said the town suffers from its close proximity of Plymouth, and raising the tariff rate in the first hour will not encourage residents to shop locally.

From December the town council started using Section 106 money to finance a scheme to help local traders.

Shoppers only have to spend £5 in one of more than 40 participating businesses to claim back the full two-hour parking charge of £1.60.

Cllr Austin said this has been done to encourage shoppers to stay in the town for longer.

The council is to write to Cornwall Parking saying it does not agree with a 10p rise in the fee for the first hour of parking in the town.