MOTORISTS parking in Winchester on Sundays could face a £1 charge from April, the Daily Echo can reveal.

As reported, city council bosses hope to raise £50,000 by introducing the fee.

The idea has been attacked by shoppers and traders who described it as “anti business”.

There are also fears it could hit the city’s farmers’ market, pictured, Britain’s largest, which has about 100 stalls in the Middle Brook Street car park on the second Sunday of every month.

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Cllr Freddie Allgood, the city council’s Cabinet member for finance, said: “We want to introduce Sunday parking charges as a means to raise some cash.

“The idea has always been to be reasonable about the parking because it is something new and we don’t want to bring in something too heavy. I would have thought £2 would be a bit high.”

He added that he was prepared to listen to traders if they were concerned.

The city council’s ruling cabinet will make a decision on the charges on Wednesday, February 4. The full council then has the final say on Thursday, February 19.

Cllr Allgood added that the authority was £2.7m away from balancing its budget just a few weeks ago.

However, an efficiency drive had brought the figure down to £200,000. Parking charges will meet one quarter of the gap, while the rest will be found by renegotiating council contracts, said Cllr Allgood.

Motorists already pay £1 per hour or £3.50 for four hours in Winchester between 8am and 6pm Monday to Saturday.