Angry residents and businesses in Gerrards Cross have hit out as the council urges them to have their say on increasing car parking charges in the district.

A number of businesses, including BP Collins and Nunn Hayward, have threatened to leave the town if the changes are implemented, saying the rise would make it impossible for them to continue trading there.

South Bucks District Council wants to increase parking charges in car parks around the district, including in the Station Road, Packhorse Road and Bulstrode Way car parks in Gerrards Cross.

Simon Deans, senior partner at BP Collins, based in Station Road, said the firm needed to expand and the rise would force them to move out.

He said: “We told the council that we appreciate they are keeping some of the car park spaces for visitors but the staff that work [in Gerrards Cross] are vital to the local economy.

"Making the charges really high for the whole day isn’t feasible for our guys. We have been here for 60 years but we might have to look at other towns because there isn’t really another option. It’s a big problem for us.”

It currently costs £4.50 to park for up to 24 hours in the Station Road car park – under the new plans, this would go up to £10 and a new nine-hour tariff would be introduced, which would be charged at £8.

The hourly costs would also go up, with an hour costing £1.80 rather than £1.50 currently, and up to four hours costing £4.50 instead of £3.10.

The long-stay charges would be implemented in the Station Road and Packhorse Road car parks, while in Bulstrode Way, the one, two and three hour tariffs would increase to £1.50, £2.10 and £3.70 respectively.

Ian Nunn, of Nunn and Hayward, also based in Station Road, said it seemed like the council was “trying to push businesses out”.

He said: “We have been here for 31 years. It ultimately could mean that we would have to move.

“It is becoming impossible to find parking around the offices. The car parks are always either full or near capacity.

“I wonder if what they are trying to do is to get businesses to leave the town. I don’t think they think about the knock-on effect of their actions.”

SBDC spokesman Kate Murray said the council regularly monitors how its car parks are being used and the changes are intended to help maximise the use of car parking space across the district and “alleviate pressure on sites where there is greater demand for spaces from daily short stay customers”.

She said: “This is really important to businesses, because if spaces are blocked for the whole day it prevents new customers from being able to park.

“It’s also important to remember that income from our car parks is used to help pay for the running and maintenance meaning that the user is paying for this, rather than all taxpayers.”

The consultation ends on March 23. Have your say by writing to the head of environment quoting reference OSPPO2010/AM4 and send it to King George V House, King George V Road, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, HP6 5AW.

Visit www.southbucks.gov.uk/off-street-parking-order-consultation for more information.