PARKING charges in Romsey have netted Test Valley Borough Council more than £3 million over five years, it can be revealed.

Business owners have criticised the charges and voiced fears that the system is putting off potential customers and decreasing footfall in the town centre.

Figures obtained by the Romsey Advertiser show that in the financial year 2010/11 Test Valley Borough Council made £597,000 from parking charges.

This figure has increased each year since, with a total of £663,642 made in 2014/15 and £3,168,967 over five years.

Last week Peter Speirs, president of Romsey Chamber of Commerce, said that plans to transform the centre of Romsey into a car-free zone could encourage more shoppers.

Test Valley borough councillor Alan Dowden admitted the town is losing business due to the charges but said lowering prices would force a council tax increase.

And Traders in the town centre have called for a relaxation of parking rules to increase the number of customers and visitors into the area, which they say would benefit business.

Moira Brown, owner of Sweet Shop on Bell Street, said: “I know people that don’t come to Romsey now because they go to other places like Salisbury and Winchester for shopping.

“I was speaking to someone who had the idea to halve the parking charges and make it the same everywhere, so you can stay as long as you like.

“People used to have a wander round the shops whereas now they have to run back because they’re worried about getting a parking ticket.

“Everybody seems to forget that we are here and the number of businesses here is down and they are not staying because of the footfall.”

And Naomi Reading, manager of Green Hill quilting shop, believes free parking on weekends would give the town a boost.

She said: “All the customers here love the free hour that they had over Christmas - it could bring more people in.

“I would be behind them making parking free at weekends and we need to do something for the town to encourage people in.

“It encourages people to shop in Romsey instead of going to Southampton and we’ve had a lot of customers who go elsewhere because they get free parking.”

A Test Valley Borough Council spokeswoman argued that the charges in Romsey are the cheapest in the local area and said that long-stay and short-stay zones are chosen carefully to encourage people parking all day to do so away from the town centre.

The spokeswoman said: “Long stay or free parking might well result in town centre car parks being filled with workers and non-shoppers.

“Businesses in Romsey were consulted in 2013 about car parking proposals. Following that consultation, we have increased the number of spaces with two-hour and four-hour limits in the town centre and constructed additional long stay parking at The Rapids. We have also installed a footpath to improve access to the town centre from The Rapids.

“Council car parks are free after 4pm, overnight and all day on Sundays and bank holidays. Parking is also free at The Rapids on Saturdays and for up to four hours Monday to Friday, with all day parking costing only £2.”