Petersfield Council are Christmas party poopers

30/10/2008

For the past three years, East Hampshire District Council has provided free car parking in Petersfield for several days before Christmas to encourage more people to come into town to do their shopping.

However, this year a Lib Dem East Hampshire district councillor has said there will be no more free car parking for Christmas party shoppers in Petersfield or Alton.

Last year, both Petersfield and Alton shoppers enjoyed a 12 half-days of free parking in the run up to Christmas as part of a 'Twelve Days of Christmas' shopping promotion for the two towns.

Adam Carew, East Hampshire's prospective Lib Dem parliamentary candidate and EHDC shadow portfolio holder for environment and transport, said: "The news that EHDC is doing nothing this year to promote free car parking this Christmas comes as a shock following mounting opposition from Lib Dems and resident about hikes in the cost of car parking in EHDC car parks and the unwelcome introduction of Sunday parking charges.

"We have both written and had verbal confirmation from officers that no free car parking is being planned this Christmas to boost local trade. We are told that normally the orders would have been made by now. If correct, this is a double whammy."