A parking mad policy

1:26pm Friday 4th April 2008

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I BOTH live and work in High Wycombe and am amazed at the apparent thoughtlessness of the council in relation to the increase in car parking charges recently.

Last October, I transferred to a site in Old Windsor to oversee building works on a prestige extension that we had designed.

When I left, the charges for a full day's parking were £2 in the car park in Desborough Street. There were rarely any spaces left of the 27 available bringing in a daily sum for the council coffers of £54, or £277 for the week.

I returned to the office for a short stint yesterday (Tuesday) and was amazed to discover that the charges had increased during my absence. Not by the rate of inflation or just above, the charges had doubled to an amazing £4 per day (over two hours). But, instead of increasing revenue, the opposite has been achieved.

Instead of the usual 27 cars parked in the car park, there were only four. Total income: £16.

Today there were even fewer. Being prewarned, I have found alternative parking as have several others.

Today there was only one car parked there when I arrived.

This is also not a very secure car park.

Last year, I had a side window smashed and my radio CD unit stolen. If this trend is repeated in all of the car parks in High Wycombe, there is going to see a drastic reduction in income for the council.

What services are they going to reduce to compensate?

I cannot wait to get back to our site with its free parking.

Pete Farmner Kingston Road Totteridge