LOOE’S mayor says that parking charge proposals are a ‘betrayal’ of her town and will have a negative and damaging impact.

Edwina Hannaford was speaking about changes, set to come in next month, meaning many of Cornwall’s popular coastal locations will come under Band A, the highest cost, of a new three-tier system.

Cornwall Council says it wants to simplify the charging system and encourage the use of public transport, and is looking to increase returns from the busiest car parks it owns in the county.

There’s been a lot of negative feedback to the plans – more than 1,300 objections were made during a Cornwall-wide survey about the parking charges, with just 34 comments in support. The local authority has now offered some concessions in the light of this response, and has reduced some of the price hikes it had been proposing. For example, the Riverside and Kilminorth car parks will now be in Zone B, not Zone A. Multi-session tickets aimed at regular users in a Band A place had been due to rise from 96p per session/day to £5, but under the revised proposals will now rise to £2.50 per session. Winter charging will now not be introduced in places which don’t currently charge from November to April.

But in Looe, where the main car park at the Millpool is to go into the highest band, the changes will still bite hard, says the mayor. She feels that the introduction of higher rates and a new evening charge discriminates against those on a low income, residents without parking space at home who have no alternative option but to park in the car park, and those who have reduced mobility.

Cllr Hannaford believes that the rise in fees could lead to people choosing not to attend free activities and groups at the library and the Millpool Centre, and that there will be a detrimental effect on charitable groups as well as the wider economy and night-time economy in the town.

The new charges are being presented at a time when the bus from Hannafore to Looe centre has been axed, effectively leaving anyone who can’t do a long and steep walk with no choice but to drive and park in the town.

Cllr Hannaford says that simply charging more to park is a ‘blunt tool’ for addressing climate change, and that the public transport links are not comprehensive enough to serve people well as an alternative to using their car. The town council also worries that visitors will be put off by higher parking fees – and will feel that Looe is a ‘rip-off’ place to visit, as they say is the perception in Polperro.

The mayor feels that Cornwall Council has not understood the specific geography and social factors in her town, and that locally-designed parking schemes are the most effective, rather than a one size fits all approach.

Looe’s mayor said: “I believe the new parking charges are a betrayal of the people of Looe. Despite us putting in a robust submission about why the new regime will damage the economy and negatively affect local people, they have gone ahead anyway.

“I feel the people of Looe are being disadvantaged and ignored  by the Conservative administration in Cornwall Council. This is despite a comprehensive business survey and representation from the Town Council, Cllr Armand Toms and myself, local people and charities. So much for democracy and localism, our community and our views just don’t seem to matter.

“There must be other coastal communities that are  disadvantaged as well, but we are unique in Looe in that there is very little on-street parking or alternatives,” Cllr Hannaford continued.

“The Millpool serves two community facilities and there is actually a long walk into town and the beach. We are being targeted because in summer we are a visitor destination, but people still live here all year round!

“I’m not convinced they have taken into account people with disabilities, and our arguments. It’s discriminatory.”

The town council says it understands the need for the income from Cornwall’s car parks to be sustained and to some extent increased to cover costs.

They’d like Cornwall Council to introduce a realistic locals’ rate for short periods of parking, and to assist them in setting up a park and ride scheme.

Cllr Hannaford and her fellow Cornwall Councillor Armand Toms are hoping that portfolio holder for transport Cllr Connor Donnithorne will be persuaded to amend Looe’s banding when he visits the town soon. But Cllr Hannaford also says she will be preparing to challenge the decision should Cornwall’s cabinet pass the parking proposals.