TRADERS have hit out at council plans to introduce charges at Kidlington’s main car park.

Cherwell District Council is forecasting it would earn £184,000 a year by charging for the Watts Way car park.

Charges would be introduced in about a year and is part of a drive to save £750,000 across the council. It comes as the council moves to hike charges throughout the district.

Chris Pack, of Kidlington Village Centre Management Board and the village’s parish council, said: “This proposal has come completely out of the blue.

“I understand they need to cut back and find income, but they have got to measure that against the possible impact on traders in the High Street. It could hit trade badly.”

And he said shoppers would instead use free parking at nearby Tesco and Co-op.

The car park land was donated by a Kidlington resident more than 30 years ago on the condition, set down in a covenant document, that charges would be allowed only with a paid attendant on site.

The council said it expected negotiations to change the covenant to take about a year.

Trader David Cox, of Freelance Fabrics, said: “Everything that deters people from coming somewhere which is currently free would not be at all helpful.

“Everybody locally believed that Watts Way was given to the village to always be free.”

Jane Paine, of Jane’s haberdashery and fashion store in High Street, said: “It would be another nail in the coffin for traders. Part of Kidlington’s appeal is there is no charge for parking. Customers do not like to walk far and do not want to pay for parking.”

Predator Angling Centre manager Monty Finnemore said: “Whoever suggested this does not know Kidlington, and does not know what traders are dealing with. We are trying everything we can to encourage people to come here, and to start charging for parking is absolutely crazy.”

The move would net the council £46,886 a year in short stay and £111,193 in long stay charges and £25,878 from parking fines.

Cherwell District Council’s executive was last night due to be asked to begin negotiations over the covenant changes.

It will also be asked to back an extra 10p on every hourly charge in council car parks, axe free disabled parking and introduce evening parking fees.

Its own report said 78 per cent residents were satisfied with village parking, compared to 63 per cent elsewhere in the district.