A plan to extend parking charges to Sundays, bank holidays and the evenings has received widespread opposition. Mid Sussex District Council is looking to implement additional parking charges and extend chargeable hours in all town centre car parks. Currently, charges run until 6pm Monday to Saturday, excluding bank holidays, but the change would see car park users charged up until 8pm.
Parking on bank holidays and Sundays would also cost £1.50 in East Grinstead and Haywards Heath and £1 in Burgess Hill. Adam White, Mid Sussex District councillor for Burgess Hill, has opposed the plan and says it threatens town centre businesses.
Cllr White said: “I am not in support of it by any stretch. “Sunday is one of the biggest trading days, we believe. To implement extra costs will prevent the community from coming to the town centre, which is going to cause the businesses problems.
Cllr White has voiced his opposition to the plans alongside MP Mims Davies (Image: Councillor Adam White) “Why not go to Tesco and spend the money, or buy it off Amazon? It is putting our retailers at a disadvantage. “The town centre needs all the help it can get at the moment.” A petition was started in Burgess Hill against the council’s plans, which amassed around 8,000 signatures.
Mims Davies, MP for East Grinstead, has also voiced her opposition in a letter to Mid Sussex District Council. She said: “This is a real danger and of particular concern to those incredibly hard-working people i.
