WEYMOUTH: Objections to ‘tax on shopping’

They were objecting to a proposal to consider having more town centre parking meters which could involve the loss of free parking in areas such as Custom House Quay.

Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism secretary Michel Hooper-Immins told a meeting of the town’s management committee that the business community was “greatly opposed” to any loss of free on-street spaces.

Many people used such spaces for quick visits to banks, shops, suppliers and other sites, he said, and charging for such spaces would be viewed badly as “a tax on local people shopping in Weymouth”.

He added that a change to meters would cause a “black hole” in 2011 finances, officers saying that any such scheme would have to pay for itself within four years to be considered successful.

Mr Hooper-Immins suggested making the free one-hour spaces for residents only, but Weymouth and Portland transport spokesman Councillor Christine James said the chamber claimed it wanted to encourage visitors but they would be penalised if the chamber’s suggestion was adopted.

Ideas raised by members included reducing one-hour free spaces to 40 minutes.

Councillor Brendan Webster said: “If you want traffic out of the town centre it is difficult to support more paying spaces. Short stay in-and-out spaces are better.”

Mayor Councillor Anne Kenwood said keeping parking free would help businesses at that end of town.

Chairman Coun Mike Goodman said the whole question should be allowed to go forward for consideration by planning and traffic committee colleagues and that a report back to management in June should include further investigation of the business case for introducing more parking meters in town. The meeting agreed.

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