THOUSANDS of Winchester people could be hit by a doubling in the cost of residents' and visitors' parking permits.

Cash-strapped city council bosses are considering increasing the average cost of each permit from £20 to £40 a year. That would mean that permits have quadrupled in price since 2002, when they cost just £10.

The hike would affect more than 1,000 households in the parking permit zones that cover the city centre, Hyde, Fulflood, Oram's Arbour, West Hill, and parts of Highcliffe, Winnall, St Giles Hill and St Cross. Many households in the outer zone are currently paying £90 a year and so could be expected to fork out £180.

The news comes as the council is also considering increasing car parking charges by ten per cent and ending its travel token scheme.

Reaction from residents' groups was swift. Alan Weeks, chairman of the Winchester City Residents' Association, said the permits should not be used as a cash cow to be exploited.

"I condemn this. All they should do is recoup the cost of administering the scheme. It should not be revenue-raising," he said.

"People are not there to be milked. They will not be happy when they hear about this."

Jim Cutts, chairman of the Stanmore Action Group, said he feared that drivers would avoid paying the increases and instead park on the already congested estate.

He said such big increases would make it harder to gain public support for the residents-only parking schemes in Stanmore.

"Doubling the cost will encourage people not to buy them but park in Stanmore, increasing our problems," said Mr Cutts.

Labour group leader Patrick Davies said: "It's odd to just double the charge.

"I need a lot of persuading that it is sensible.

"It builds up resentment and people think the council is trying to milk money out of them. There should be a proper system to look at it regularly."

The Liberal Democrat-controlled council says the increase is being considered only because the government is set to cut its grant.

Richard Knasel, portfolio holder for transport, denied that residents were being financially exploited.

"In Dorchester the charge is £56. We currently charge an average of £20, so you can see we are at the bottom end of the market."

He said the council was under severe financial pressure.

"Our grant from the government increased by 0.6 per cent but we have to fund a 3.5 per cent pay rise for our 550 staff. That creates a big gap and parking is our main income apart from council tax."

Mr Knasel said no decisions had been taken.

The environment and access performance improvement committee will discuss the issue tonight.

The increases in the cost of permits could be worth some £410,000 according to a council report.

The ending of travel tokens would save £140,000 but the council is considering investing in a community bus scheme.

FACTFILE:

This year the council has issued 3,006 permits for residents and 4,755 for visitors. It does not keep a record of how many households use the permits.

Residents-only parking was introduced in 1996 to end the chronic problem of commuters parking their cars on residential street to avoid using car parks.

Costs of the permits vary: in the inner zone where households can have one resident and one visitor permit, they both cost £15; in the outer zone, homes can have two for residents and two for visitors. The first one of each costs £15; the second costs £30.

Earlier this year the Daily Echo revealed the black market in permits with some changing hands for £500.

The council is looking at ways of making misuse much harder such as using scratch cards.