A move to cut car parking charges in an attempt to attract shoppers to Wickford has failed.

Wickford Conservative councillor Tony Ball argued at Thursday night's Basildon Council environment committee that charges should be lowered to encourage shoppers away from other shopping centres where parking was free.

In the latest increase, charges went up by 10p, to 40p an hour.

Mr Ball said: "Myself and other Wickford councillors have received lots of complaint letters about the rises.

"Lowering charges would encourage short-term parking so it makes more sense for people to come to Wickford compared to the cost of petrol to drive to another shopping area such as Pitsea, or the Laindon Centre where parking is free.

"This is an eco-friendly policy."

Council officers advised that in a previous trial when they lowered the charges by 10p between 1996-7 there was only a four per cent increase in short-term parking. The loss in revenue to the council was £40,000.

Committee chairman Loraine Rossati said: "It's a lot of money and I don't think there will be any significant change."

It was suggested other schemes to save Wickford shoppers money on parking be considered, involving traders and the Chamber of Commerce.

In previous years shops had reimbursed shoppers their parking fee if they spent over a certain amount.

Ms Rossati said: "There has to be a self-help element here from the traders and £40,000 is a lot of money for the council."

The proposal was voted against by all environment committee members except Langdon Hills Tory Sandra Hillier.

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