AN EXTENSIVE survey to examine the potential impact of car parking charges on town centre trade in Warminster was launched on Monday, October 16.

Organised by the The Forum of Private Business, the survey aims to target more than 225 town centre businesses to establish the effects of car parking charges on employers and employees.

The row over car parking charges has been rumbling on for several months, with the debate over whether to hand back the lease to West Wiltshire District Council before next October, and let them charge for parking, still a matter for bitter disagreement.

The survey also plans to see if the people of Warminster are willing to pay higher council tax to cover the cost of renewing the lease, in order to keep parking in the two town centre car parks free.

The town council's current share of the council tax raises £44,000, which works out at around £5 per person, per year.

John Golton-Davis, of The Forum of Private Business, said results of the survey would not be known until at least January, when the town council is due to make up its mind over whether it will keep the lease or hand it back.

He said: "In one part of the survey I want to establish how many people drive to work and if the businesses have their own car parks.

"Some part-time workers are on the minimum wage and could suffer quite badly or start parking cars in side streets, which would clog them up.

"The key thing with Warminster at the moment is that in the Market Place there are very few empty shops.

"I have started to put the surveys out now so some should be back in by next week.

"The support I am getting from the traders has been very high."