I WRITE to say how dismayed and anxious I am becoming with the recent decision to increase car park charges to such an extreme level around the borough of Poole.

Although the Ashley Road traders were given a chance to express our views to the council officers, I doubt very much that they were given any sort of consideration as the present cabinet seems to have made up its mind regardless of any public opinion.

The present council has only 12 opposition councillors and 30 on the other side of any debate, rendering most, if not all, argument on policy ineffective, allowing measures such as parking increases to be pushed through regardless.

The council has admitted a drop of up to 25 per cent in parking revenue due to these increases as people try to park elsewhere along suburban streets, making residents’ parking more difficult and in Parkstone, Waitrose’s car park a prime target as it is still free.

The other impact is shoppers will take their business to Castlepoint or other out of town areas where they can park for free.

The Traders have, at present, a parking refund scheme but this will be no longer a viable offer so another blow to our local shoppers. Thank you, Poole council, for your consideration of our welfare and for our businesses which you seem set on destroying. 

Mike Ockendon Ashley Rd Traders