‘Ridiculous’ parking fees in our town rose by over 600% overnight… we thought it was an April Fool’s prank

RESIDENTS of a small town have been left dismayed after fees in a local car park went up by a whopping 600% overnight.

Locals of Herne, Kent, claimed that they initially though the increase was an April Fool’s joke only to find out it was genuine.

They slammed the new prices as “unreasonably high” after the council hiked rates on a car park near the local church.

An all-day permit leapt from £2.20 to £15, an increase of over 600%, on April 1.

Likewise, the tiers of the permit system have been changed, hiking costs from 60p for 30 minutes or £1.20 for two hours to a flat rate of £1.90.

That’s only 30p less than the former all-day rate.

Sadie Davis, who runs the Smugglers Inn pub in the town, claimed that the new expenses were already having a negative impact on local businesses.

She told : “Customers come into the pub for lunch and use the car park because there’s nowhere else.

“But even a couple of hours is now costing them £3.80, which is clearly putting people off.”

And retired builder Scott Davis agreed, saying that such a rise in the “sleepy little hollow” is completely unjustified.

He added: “The car park is usually full with all sorts of users, from mums on the school run and parents taking kids to football, to people attending functions at the community centre and those going to church.

“But now the car park is almost empty, with the cost forcing people to park in the narrow streets, which is upsetting residents.

“How can they justify a price increase like that?”

The move has also been opposed by members of the local parish council as well as the warden of the local church, who argues that the new prices are off-putting to residents and getting in the way of events like weddings and funerals.

A spokesperson for Canterbury City Council said that it recognises the effect of the increase, but emphasised the scheme’s range of exemptions.

They explained: “We have continued to allow free parking for the morning school run and in the evening for events at the Herne Centre.

“And residents are able to apply for an off-street residents’ permit which offers good value for all year round parking.

“As with all parking charges, the situation at School Lane will be reviewed next year, when we will consider what the impact of the change has been.”

According to the council’s website, a full off-street residents’ permit in the Herne Bay area costs £612 annually and allows parking at all times in pay and display car parks.

Meanwhile, for £367 locals can pick up a permit which gives them the same perks but is limited to 9am to 5pm on weekdays, as well as any time on weekends.