PLANS for the second hike in Poole’s parking charges in just five months have been given the green light by councillors.

The planned increases, hot on the heels of the last round of rises in April, will go to portfolio holder Cllr Mike White for a final decision after being recommended by the Transport Advisory Group (TAG) on Thursday – despite objections from traders.

Under the proposals, shoppers will pay 10p per hour more in the town centre multi-storeys next to the Dolphin Centre and district car parks rising to 90p and 30p per hour respectively.

And the high season rate at beach car parks will come in a month earlier –from April to September instead of from May.

The changes will come into effect in September 1, but charges are expected to go up yet again in January with the rise in VAT to 20 per cent.

At the TAG meeting the Liberal Democrats proposed postponing the September rise until then and incorporating the VAT – but they were outvoted.

Cllr Tony Trent said: “At the moment we’re getting the worst of all worlds.”

The triple-whammy has been slammed by Echo readers online. Upyourpipe, Bearcross said: “You lot are killing our town centres with this nonsense.

“If you are short of money then make savings like the rest of us have had to in recent months.”

Rainbowkisses, Bournemouth, said: “I used to like going over to Poole to shop, but I haven’t been over once since the last increase.”

Wayneofafcb, from Poole, called it “utter madness” which would “make visitor numbers drop, business council tax take will drop as more shops close, and so on, and so on.”

Poole transport bosses insisted that the new charges still compared favourably with other areas and remained reasonable.

The council needs to raise £370,000 from parking charges this financial year.

April’s rise netted £250,000 – leaving a £120,00 shortfall to be picked up in the September increase.