LEADERS at Southampton's biggest mosque have hit out at council plans to introduce evening parking charges in the city.

They say it would hit the pockets of the city's Muslims who would be forced to pay out every time they visit the Medina Mosque in St Mary's to pray.

Car parking charges around the mosque, in St Mary's Road, could go from 60p for two hours to 80p for two hours.

Instead of parking after 5.30pm being free, charges could apply right up until 10.30pm.

Medina Mosque Trust committee member Shoukat Ali branded the Liberal Democrats' proposals 'a joke' and warned that evening activities at the community centre could fizzle out.

He said: "In the summer months people come here regularly throughout the week to pray until late in the evening and this is just foisting extra charges on them.

"We have many events in the evening, and many big gatherings. But even now during the day, the traffic wardens are hanging around all the time.

"Around 600 to 700 people visit the mosque every week - and come several times a day to pray - and this is definitely going to add up for them. It's a joke."

Council chiefs are due to look again at the proposals later this month and will decide whether or not to trigger a public consultation.

Why proposals are fair to all. . . By Councillor Jill Baston, Southampton City Council Cabinet member for environment and transport.

IT MAY be helpful to give your readers some of the background to the new car parking proposals for Southampton city centre.

First of all, the suggested rise in charges is nowhere near the 33 per cent which has been claimed. Overall, the average rise is in fact less than ten per cent. The last review of parking charges in the city took place in 1999, so over the four years to April 2004 the suggested rise is around the rate of inflation. We've all seen the growth in city traffic in that time.

Council car parks will still be cheaper than privately owned parks in the city centre. We've also all seen the growth in the night time economy in the city centre with pubs and clubs, but the hours when charges apply have not changed since 1969.

More than a quarter of a million cars now park in the city centre in the evening over the year. We need to ask whether the city can afford to continue this service for free now that city centre evening entertainments are well established.

Car parking brings costs - extra staff for enforcement, lighting, maintenance and, in Southampton, the provision of a 24-hour CCTV service and help points.

City centre parking facilities are generally provided on the basis that the users pay for the costs and upkeep. Is it fair that evening users should be subsidised by other people?

This is not just a case of 'sting the motorist' - people are now spending less of their disposable income on car use than they did in 1980.

Uncontrolled evening car parking can be chaotic, with parks near popular venues overcrowded, cars out of place blocking others from exiting, yellow lines ignored, spaces for disabled people taken up. It has reached the stage now where we need more staff to patrol and keep an eye on things for the benefit of the public. The city centre would be safer, better managed, and pleasanter to visit as a result.