CHAMBER of Commerce president Anthony Wells has told Kennet that its failure to consult traders before deciding to raise parking charges in Marlborough has been a slap in the face for the town's business community.

In a no holds barred letter to the district council, Mr Wells accuses it of unfairly milking cash from Marlborough's shoppers and visitors.

Mr Wells, who has a London Road based business which makes time capsules, said: "I understand that the new parking charges for Marlborough have been decided with an hourly increase from 35p to 40p, along with the introduction of Sunday parking charges for Marlborough only."

He said he would not attempt to dispute the council's reasons for raising charges periodically in line with inflation but said Marlborough was being treated unfairly compared with its neighbours.

Kennet has agreed to allow free parking to continue in both Pewsey and in Ludgershall and will not be introducing Sunday parking charges in Devizes.

Marlborough Mayor Margaret Boulton has already slammed Kennet's decision to start charging for Sunday parking in the High Street from next April.

In his letter to Kennet, Mr Wells said the council had previously cited the Government's intention to discourage motorists by means including higher parking charges.

However, on a recent visit to London he discovered that parking was free in West Kensington.

Mr Wells said the revision of parking charges should have involved local consultation and not just the recommendation of officers.

"Instead Marlborough committees (including the town council, Marlborough Area Development Trust and the Chamber of Commerce) should be able to decide what is best for the town, or at least be involved in some form of consultation process," he said.

Mr Wells has tabled a number of questions to Kennet including:

l Why should Marlborough be treated as the district council's cash cow when other local towns do not have Sunday charges?

l Why were Chamber of Commerce members not consulted?

l How much do parking charges in Marlborough raise for the district council annually?

l How much of the parking income from Marlborough is spent on the town?

l How much of the income from parking is earmarked for additional public transport?

Mr Wells said: "I am yet to meet anyone in Marlborough who is in favour of these revised charges.

"Not only will this drive customers away from Marlborough businesses, but it sends out an appalling message to tourists and visitors to the town.

"I fail to understand how your chief executive Mark Boden can have convinced himself that this move is likely to 'encourage rather than discourage' shoppers." He ended his letter saying: "The decision is, in our view, ill-judged and is a slap in the face for Marlborough's traders, residents and visitors.

"It also highlights a clear need for careful and equitable consideration to be exercised when decisions of this nature are being made.

"In short, if you're not prepared to introduce these charges in Devizes, don't do it here."