THE PUBLIC are being offered the chance to have their say on a proposed increase to town centre parking rates.

Arun District Council is proposing to increase some car parking rates in the district to help support council services.

A public consultation is set to begin on December 3, 2021, and will run until January 14, 2022.

The council currently has the lowest town centre parking charges in West Sussex.

The council Environment Committee chairman councillor David Edwards said the income received from the price changes would go towards maintaining the car parks.

“Covid hit everyone hard and as we continue the recovery process, we need to find a balance between meeting our financial commitments to provide services for our residents and supporting local businesses,” he said.

“I believe the proposed increases are a sensible way forward and still show our commitment to supporting local business by only increasing charges in seasonal car parks and avoiding the town centres.”

Charges for parking the town centre have not increased since 2016.

The disc parking scheme, which allows two hours free parking, would be unchanged by the new proposals.

Among the changes is a ten pence increase for up to one hour parking at Regis Centre, Hothamton and Lyon Street in Bogor, as well as Manor House, Surrey Street, St Martins and Anchor Springs in Littlehampton.

At all of those sites, parting for up to one hour would increase from 80p to 90p.

For up to two hours and three hours, it would increase from £1.60 to £1.80 and from £2.40 to £2.70 respectively.

A full list of proposed changes can be found on the Arun District Council website.

Any comments proposed charges must be sent to the council by emailing car.parks@arun.gov.uk no later than January 14, 2022.

Letters can be addressed to Arun District Council Parking Services, Arun Civic Centre, Maltravers Road, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN17 5LF.