BUSINESS owners in Weymouth have said a freeze in car parking charges is "bad news" and have instead called on Dorset Council to reduce the summer rates.

Dorset Council has decided not to increase parking fees for the coming months, however, the prices will still change from winter rates to summer rates on April 1.

The council said there is "no intention" to increase tariffs this year, but said the prices are under "regular review".

The decision comes after controversy during the past 12 months when big fee rises, especially for the county’s resort towns, were widely opposed by businesses and residents.

In summer, parking in Weymouth for example is £1.50 for up to 30 mins, £3 for up to an hour, and £4.50 for up to three hours.

The prices were introduced in March 2023, to increase the cost in what the council described as "busy tourist areas".

The price hike was met with huge objections from residents and business owners and a petition launched last year received more than 7,000 signatures.

Dorset Echo: Nigel Sims-Duff taking his petition to County Hall last summerNigel Sims-Duff taking his petition to County Hall last summer (Image: Nigel Sims-Duff)

Nigel Sims-Duff, owner of the Palm House Café started the petition in 2023, claiming the charges were damaging Weymouth’s economy.

Mr Sims-Duff welcomed the council's decision not to increase charges again but said the system is still "unacceptable". 

He added: "Whilst we appreciate the charges not increasing, Weymouth is still being disadvantaged compared to other Dorset towns and on behalf of all the signatures for the petition, we will still campaign for a reduction.

"We need more of a level playing field for every town in Dorset, we can get that by reducing charges in Weymouth and increasing every other town to reach a middle point where every town contributes a similar amount and no town is paying disproportionally more.

“There is no guarantee that tourists who were put off by the high parking last year will come back this year.

“People in Weymouth are paying double or treble and it is unacceptable.

“All of the daytime businesses like cafes, sandwich shops, they are all being hit the hardest

Tim Layzell, owner of Marria's Café on Westham Road, said that it was "very bad news" for businesses in the town.

He said: "It is good that it is not going up again, but it is very bad news that it is being kept at the same price.

"People would rather go somewhere where there is free parking than pay £3 for an hour to park in Weymouth and we have noticed trade has decreased because of that.

"People are not going to come into the town, £3 is not a good price, especially when budgets are quite tight for people.

"It doesn't do our businesses any good and they don't seem to consider us at all.

"We will have to bite the bullet and keep going."

"We were hoping the prices may go down or that they might keep the winter prices in the summer."