TENTATIVE proposals to explore increasing parking charges in the centre of Andover have been scrapped.

It was announced by leader of Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) councillor Phil North at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, 18 October that parking tariffs would be frozen across the borough for another year.

At the meeting, cabinet was considering an annual Fees and Charges report which outlined officers bringing back a further report to increase parking charges for 2018/19. However cabinet members overruled the idea and said the follow-up report would not be required.

Deputy leader of the council Councillor Nick Adams-King said: “We are committed to keeping car parking charges as low as possible to encourage people into our towns and to stay there for longer. 

“I’m pleased that we’ve been able to freeze the prices for 2018/19 and that we are cheaper than our neighbouring authorities.”

Parking currently costs 50p for half an hour and less than £6 for a whole day while all TVBC-owned car parks are free after 4pm, overnight and all day on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Cllr North said: “When I was elected to the leadership of Test Valley I made it clear that one of my top priorities was to sustain and rejuvenate our town centres. 

“In Romsey we have been working in partnership with Hampshire County Council to deliver shared space improvements in Church Street and Bell Street.

"In Andover we are building a brand new leisure centre; working with the county council through the Andover Vision to create a new urban park on the banks of the Anton; developing exciting plans for the former magistrates’ court and I’ve longer term aspirations for a more fundamental overhaul of our shopping space. 

“Our whole approach is about trying to attract more people into our town centres and decrease vacancy rates - now is not the right time to increase parking charges.”

The council will also be promoting its Christmas car parking voucher scheme again this year, which gives drivers an extra hour of parking when they purchase a minimum of one hour.