CONTROVERSIAL plans for a parking shake-up in Romsey have been unveiled.

Test Valley Borough Council transport bosses want to cut the number of cheaper long-stay spaces by more than a third across four car parks.

The move is aimed at boosting trade in Romsey’s key shopping areas by freeing up short-stay capacity.

One of the proposals would mean introducing higher tariff spaces at Crosfield Hall and moving long-stay to the library site at Princes Road.

Motorists would have to fork out an extra £2 to leave their car for a day at Crosfield Hall – up from £3.50 to £5.50. Five-hour parking bays would also go up by 80p.

Despite backing from Romsey Chamber of Commerce, the plan has been blasted by some of the town’s politicians.

Town councillor Ian Richards said that the net loss of 22 long-stay cheaper parking bays – down from 60 to 38 – could result in more people leaving their cars in residential areas.

He said: “For town centre residents, workers both full- and part-time, this will not be good news. More likely, it will be a local environmental disaster.”

Lesley Hottinger, from Test Valley Borough Council’s planning and transport department, said that nothing had yet been decided.

She added: “People will still be able to park long-stay in Crosfield – but at a higher rate.

“We are not really losing any spaces, we are just changing the tariffs to encourage people to use the shops.”

A public exhibition of the proposed changes is to take place on March 31, from 11am-7pm, in the reception of the Duttons Road council offices.