PARKING fees at beach car parks in Poole are being hiked by up to 675 per cent during the month of October as the council its extends the summer high season.

Up until now parking fees have dropped away on October 1 to a flat rate of £1 for up to an hour and £2 for anything over an hour up until midnight.

But, following a proposal put forward at a meeting in early August, the council looks set to steam ahead with plans to extend its summer parking fees by an additional month until the end of October – with charges of up to £15.50 payable for ten-hour stays.

Motorists using Sandbanks, Shore Road, Western Road, Branksome Chine, Branksome Dene Chine car parks, and on-street parking at Shore Road, Banks Road, Sandbanks Road, Brudenell Avenue and Haven Road will all face the increased fees.

Liberal Democrat councillor Mike Brooke has slated the decision, which he feels is a taste of what’s to come for another plan currently under consideration to introduce parking fees at the town’s public parks.

He told the Echo: “It hasn’t taken long for the Conservative administration to implement the proposed changes to our beach car parking charges and without any scrutiny whatsoever. This is outrageous as it will in the main affect local residents who are now being faced with an excessive tax on a family day out.

“This is likely to drive people away from Poole to other resorts where parking charges are less. Not only have the Conservatives killed the Town Centre through excessive car parking charges but they now want to drive people away from our beaches. Presumably Poole Park, WhitecliffIt’s, Baiter and Hamworthy Park and Upton Country Park are next on the hit list.”

Borough of Poole’s head of transportation services, Julian McLaughlin, explained the council’s cabinet has already agreed to extend peak season parking charges in the beach car parks to include October, bringing the charging period in line with neighbouring authorities.

“Income from car parks is a significant contributor to the council,” said Mr McLaughlin.

He added: “There is a need to make sure that parking charges are kept at a suitable level to support the vitality of the borough.

“At its next meeting cabinet is being asked to consider whether March should also fall within the high season period to reflect additional demand during Easter holidays.

“With annual reductions in our government funding, some difficult decisions will have to be made in Poole as we work to maintain and protect services that the public value, while meeting an increasing demand for services and additional cost pressures.

“We are faced with a significant financial challenge ahead with a funding gap of more than £5 million for 2016/17 alone.”