CIVIC bosses have defended proposals to limit parking at four of the busiest Christchurch town centre car parks to four hours.

Proposals to cap the usage of Saxon Square, Bank Close, Wick Lane and the By-Pass car parks are being discussed by Christchurch Borough Council's resources committee this evening.

If approved, the move would see an end to more than half of the town centre spaces which currently provide 12 hours parking for visitors.

Lindsay Cass, Head of Property and Engineering at Christchurch and East Dorset Councils said:“The Town Centre Parking Working Party has concluded that it would be more beneficial for local businesses if the busiest town centre car parks in Christchurch had a maximum daytime stay of four hours.

“This would encourage visitors wishing to park for more than four hours to use car parks which are currently underused whilst ensuring that these central car parks are accessible to shoppers.

“Only 2% of parking tickets sold in these town centre car parks are for durations of over four hours. People wishing to park their cars for more than four hours near the town centre would still be able to use Bargates, Bridge Street, Christchurch Quay, Leisure Centre, Mayor’s Mead, Pit Site, Priory and Willow Way car parks.”

The change, alongside a freeze on car parking fees, moving coach bays from Mayors Mead car park and continuing the 50p winter charge in Steamer Point, Avon Run Road and Highcliffe Castle car parks will be decided by committee members.