THERE was mounting anger today from business leaders in Southampton over controversial council plans to raise car parking charges in the city.

Jimmy Chestnutt, director general of the Chamber of Commerce, told the Daily Echo he "could not support" plans by city bosses to raise off-

street car parking charges by five per cent.

Yesterday, the Wessex Federation of Small Businesses claimed that raising car parking fees for motorists would damage trade in the city.

Now, the Chamber of Commerce has waded into the row saying that the proposed changes would "suffocate" the local economy.

The controversial proposals would see parking charges rise by about

10p for two hours at car parks

such as College Street and Compton Street.

Charges for a seven hour stay at The Mall Marlands would also rise by 60p to £12.60 if the plans are approved at the council's budget setting meeting on February 16.

Commuters using free car parks in Bitterne, Shirley, Woolston and Sway-thling as informal park-and-ride facilities would also be charged £5 if their vehicles stayed more than five hours.

Other controversial plans would see city chiefs raising prices for the meals on wheels service by 30p and axing jobs at the city's libraries.

Council tax would also rise by 4.89 per cent taking the cost of council tax for a typical Band D property from £1,016.77 to £1,066.52 per year.

Mr Chestnutt said: "We cannot support a tax on parking just to raise money to offset a rise in council tax.

"It is largely accepted that parking charges will need to rise over time to provide the impetus to push people to choose other forms of transport.

"But by introducing the stick of increased parking charges without simultaneously introducing the carrot of park-and-ride and other forms of public transport, the city is suffocating rather than nurturing its local economy.''

City council leader, Councillor Adrian Vinson, said that the city's parking charges were "reasonable" compared with surrounding cities.

He said: "What alternatives do those who want to lower council tax offer, no extra charges, no reductions in services and more spent on supporting businesses?"